A hyena would win a fight against a wolf. The hyena is faster, heavier, and stronger than the wolf, and those are the only two appreciable differences between these creatures. They're both similar in stature and speed, but the fight would be determined by which creature can deal fatal damage.
Lions are larger, slightly faster, and stronger than hyenas. Hyenas have a more powerful bite and senses that match or slightly surpass lions. Both creatures are predators that can hunt in packs, but lions also hunt solo.
#FunFact: Wolves (which all domesticated dogs were descended from) have an average bite force of 406 PSI. However, some researchers have noted that at maximum attack mode, a wolf's bite force can be over 1000 PSI. Spotted Hyenas have a fearsome bite force of 1100 PSI.
A recent study published in Zoology in the Middle East finds that grey wolves and striped hyenas in Israel's Negev desert work together to survive. Their friendship is made especially unlikely because prey is scarce in the desert.
Competition between hyenas and lions for resources leads to infanticide—the practice of killing each other's young. Learn why this behavior makes the two species "mortal enemies."
Lions are These animals' primary foes even though the former usually don't eat the latter. But lions see them as fellow apex predators and will kill them to reduce competition. Similarly, in the Middle East, striped hyenas compete with wolves for food.
A lion would win in a fight against a wolf. Although lions and wolves are both carnivores with potent fighting abilities, a lion is overwhelmingly larger and stronger than a wolf.
The grizzlies are more powerful, but the wolves are quicker and out-number the bear, says Smith. “It's almost like the wolves are the mosquitoes buzzing around the bear's head,” Smith says. “Although individual mosquitoes can't overpower you, if there are enough of them, they'll win.
A tiger would easily win a fight against a wolf. The tiger weighs almost three times as much as a wolf, tipping the scale at 600 pounds. The tiger can run up to 40mph, too, more than enough speed to match or exceed a wolf. Wolves tend to hunt in packs, and they rarely come up against anything as deadly as a tiger.
A leopard would win a fight against a hyena.
Meanwhile, leopards live, hunt, and fight alone. Moreover, they take down big prey all by themselves. If the leopard was allowed to ambush the hyena, the fight would be over in seconds with the leopard's mouth around its enemy's neck.
While it may look shocking, it is not unheard of for groups of hyenas to take down lions – most often cubs or older individuals. Often seen as the villians of the African grasslands, hyenas are an intelligent and adaptable species that work together to protect their clans.
The hyena has one of the strongest jaws in the animal kingdom and an adult of the species has only the large cats of the family Felidae (Lions, Tigers, etc.) to fear. An adult hyena's bite pressure can reach 800 lb per square inch; it can crush bone.
“It is inherently risky for a cheetah, especially one with cubs, to interact with larger predators such as spotted hyenas, as spotted hyenas are known to kill both cheetah cubs and adults,” they say in their paper.
“A grizzly bear is a major threat to wolves, even if there is a pack of them, so they will work together to escort the bear out of the area,” she said. “Attacking the bear directly would be very costly, as the bear can still do a lot of damage to individual wolves, including killing them, which the bear recognises.
While wolves are much smaller than bears, bears are cautious of wolves due to being outnumbered by a pack. Normally, if there is one wolf, a grizzly bear may avoid it or continue with caution. Grizzly bears are generally more powerful than wolves, but wolves tend to be faster and outnumber bears.
Gorillas have a weight advantage, and their muscular build could easily overpower a wolf. On the other hand, wolves are known to be agile and strategic hunters, taking down prey much larger than themselves.
The strongest land animal in the world is the elephant. The typical Asian elephant has 100,000 muscles and tendons arranged along the length of the trunk, enabling it to lift almost 800 pounds.
In most cases, it is highly unlikely that a human can survive a wolf attack. Wolves are powerful predators and their strength, speed, and agility make it possible for a wolf to overpower a human. Additionally, wolves have sharp teeth and claws capable of inflicting severe damage on their prey.
Lions don't eat hyenas. Surprisingly, lions do not munch on hyenas. They are both considered top predators, which lessens the possibility of them hunting each other. Hyenas are also carnivores with their diet consisting of decaying meat of animals, therefore lions do not find them appetizing.
Lions have few predators to fear other than humans. A very young or sickly lion might fall prey to hyenas. Cubs may be attacked and eaten by adult male lions. Lions are most threatened by humans who hunt them and encroach on their habitat. Lions do not selectively hunt humans and do not often attack humans.
Lion Predators: Hyenas
Hyenas are the most common large carnivores in Africa. They come in spotted and non-spotted shades and are often scavengers. They have relatively short torsos with a reasonably large physique, a low back, and a diagonal back. Hyenas are one of lions' worst enemies.