The largest mammals in the world, giraffes, enjoy a commanding vantage point over the African savannahs and grasslands. They coexist alongside various animals, from lions, an apex predator, to other herbivores like zebras.
Have you ever wondered what would happen if these two herbivores fought over a drinking hole in a time of drought and hunger when there weren’t enough resources for all the animals?
Keeping the size and strength in mind, it is quite evident that the giraffe has the upper hand in the game. But when it comes to speed, the zebra is the clear winner.
This conflict might have happened in the real world before because both animals live in the same area. Let’s find out who will be the winner at such times!
Similarity Between Giraffes and Zebras
Zebras and giraffes are herbivores, and they have to fend off some of the most dangerous predators on the planet, such as lions, hyenas, and cheetahs. Therefore, both the giraffes and zebras got some serious fighting skills.
The most important aspects of a giraffe vs. zebra combat are the size, speed, and attack style of each animal.
Differences Between Giraffes and Zebras
Differences in height, weight, and speed separate giraffes and zebras. In comparison to zebras, giraffes are both larger and taller. However, zebras are quicker than giraffes, so they could easily escape a fight if they chose.
Although size and weight are associated with greater strength, speed can enable a swift attack to shift the flow and outcome of the battle. These minor differences could significantly impact the fight’s conclusion.
That’s why taking into account the physical attributes of each animal is the most reliable technique to pick a victor. Let’s evaluate the distinctive features of giraffes and zebras and conclude the winner.
Size and Weight
Because of their size, some creatures are relatively defenseless in the face of a foe with lethal offensive abilities. The giraffe is a considerably more towering mammal than the zebra. The average giraffe weighs about 4,000 pounds, and their height can reach 20 feet.
On the other hand, the average zebra weighs between 480 and 900 pounds and can reach up to 5 feet. By sheer comparison in size, the giraffe has a substantial advantage.
Diet
Leaves and branches comprise the bulk of their diet since they consume around 45kg of food daily. Because of their extreme eating habits, giraffes have four stomachs. On the other hand, the grass is the primary source of nutrition for zebras.
Speed
In a gallop away from predators, a zebra may reach up to 40 miles per hour, making it significantly faster than a giraffe. When it comes to speed, a giraffe can achieve roughly 30 miles per hour but can’t maintain it for long. Thus, zebras have an advantage in terms of speed.
Fighting Styles
When facing off against another giraffe, giraffes mostly use its neck to swing and smack the opponent with their ossicones. Sometimes one giraffe may knock the other one down. However, giraffes can also kick and crush smaller animals to death. In other words, if an opponent is smaller than a zebra, it will be bitten, whereas if it is the same size or larger, it will be kicked.
On the other hand, the zebras battle to death to get their hands on the female zebras. Thus, intense violence can break out amongst zebras. The two charge at each other, trying to paw, bite, and kick each other until one runs away. They fight by biting one another in various places and often wrestle to the ground.
Tusks and Teeth
When threatened, giraffes use their ossicones (the bumps on their skulls) and a powerful smash from their necks and heads to drive off predators. Even though these horns are only 7 inches long, if an angry giraffe swings them down on your head, they could do much damage.
Even though zebras don’t eat meat, their front teeth are incisors. In other words, if a zebra manages to get its mouth around its rival, it can deliver devastating damage.
Therefore, it is challenging to determine a winner based on this factor!
Senses
Giraffes have keen hearing and vision, which are essential for spotting threats before they approach. However, their ability to smell has yet to be understood.
On the other hand, like giraffes, zebras have exceptional vision and hearing and a well-developed sense of smell. A zebra’s senses are more significant than a giraffe’s, giving the zebra superiority.
Physical Defense
The giraffe’s massive size, ability to run quickly, and elevated organs help it avoid being attacked. While a zebra’s size lets it fight off smaller predators, its speed lets it get away from bigger ones like lions.
Simply put, giraffes have much better defenses than zebras.
Who Would Win?
A giraffe’s weight can be almost three times that of a zebra’s, and that weight translates into a lot more strength. Moreover, a giraffe would kick a zebra to death after severely injuring it with its ossicones or knocking it unconscious.
The giraffe’s legs would be nearly impossible for a zebra to injure without knocking them out from beneath it, which is another issue from the zebra’s point of view. By making even the slightest attempt, the zebra would be in danger and would probably end up being tramped on or struck by the giraffe’s ossicones.
Thus, in combat, a giraffe would win over a zebra. However, if the zebra is not very hurt, it may realize that it is losing this battle and flee. Simply put, zebras can only survive this battle by running away for their lives.
Are Giraffes Aggressive?
Although giraffes are typically not violent, they have been known to attack when threatened. Giraffes and other wild animals will attack if they feel threatened or unsafe. If they have young, the giraffe might be more agitated. Like any animal, giraffes can be startled and frightened and defend themselves if they are scared. However, giraffes are also known to start a fight over food.
Male giraffes clash heads and long necks in combat with other giraffes. These “necking” are not usually lethal and end when the rival gives up and leaves. However, during mating season, the males are reputed to be more aggressive.
Can Giraffes Defeat Its Other Predators?
Only lions severely threaten giraffe populations, and these cats preferentially target young and sickly animals. In addition, they go after laboring mothers who cannot move as quickly as usual.
Even though lions, hyenas, and leopards don’t prey on adults very often, they kill many young giraffes yearly. Researchers have shown that due to high predation rates, barely one-fourth of newborns make it to adulthood.
On the other hand, adult giraffes rarely have to worry about predators because of their size, length, and powerful kick, which can kill with one blow. Although lions are the only African carnivores capable of doing so, very few predators can kill fully grown giraffes due to their size, agility, strength, formidable jaws and claws, and sheer numbers.
Man is the only other predator that can kill an adult giraffe. And regrettably, human actions, particularly habitat fragmentation, poaching, and trophy hunting, have contributed significantly to the population reduction of giraffes.
Can Giraffes Defeat a Lion?
A giraffe would prevail over a lion in combat. However, lions typically kill giraffes while young and frequently employ their pride to take out a larger giraffe. The giraffe’s body is many feet above the lion’s head, making it difficult for a lion to kill an adult giraffe.
The giraffe might trample the lion if it attempted to attack from below. Attacking from behind, wriggling onto the flank, and then going for the tall animal’s neck are the greatest options. Yet, there are also giraffes in the wild that have claw marks from times when lions have attempted to kill them but failed.
When you combine all this information, a giraffe in its adult state poses a greater danger even to lions. Summing up, a giraffe could kill a lion even if it simply landed upon a lion. Giraffes might stomp on it, kick it, or bash it with its head and neck.
Wrapping Up!
A male reticulated giraffe enjoys an acacia tree during the wet season on the Serengeti grasslands. Meanwhile, a male zebra eats grass nearby. The giraffe dwarfs the zebra, and it would be suicidal to combat an animal nearly four times its size.
In a fight between a giraffe and zebra, the zebra would attack its legs, biting and trying to wrestle, while the giraffe would swing its neck about, pounding the zebra with its head. With its superior height and long power neck, the giraffe would likely emerge victorious.
Thus, the two animals put their differences aside and finish their meal without combating each other. In the long run, they might even become friends.