# Which is the most dominant animal 1 on 1? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 9, 2014, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195 "2014-08-09T23:34:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pauly01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df705f/32.png) [@Pauly01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pauly01)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/1 "2014-08-09T23:34:55Z")
I seen many videos on youtube where you have lion vs crocodile, tiger vs jaguar and you got other animals such as sharks, alligators, hippos etc. Which animal would be the most dominant animal 1 on 1? And does land vs water mean a lot? Example if a lion fights a crocodile on land, to me the crocodile would not stand a chance. However what if this is in the water? What about if the lion was not an adult, would it have zero chance against a full grown adult aligator? What about a lioness? I always hear how sharks are very dominant but when i see sharks, most of them are pretty small where i see video of crocodile eating it. I assume when they mean shark as predator, do they mean the small ones or do they mean those huge long sharks? Also I don’t know but it seems like 1 on 1, a lion or tiger should easily win against every other animal. Would this be true or not? I feel like if its a land animal its close to 100 percent but obviously if its like a great white shark, Im not sure what would happen. ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/2 "2014-08-09T23:38:38Z")
A human with a pound of C4. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/3 "2014-08-09T23:57:29Z")
Eh, gimme a BAR. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/4 "2014-08-10T00:04:33Z")
> [@Pauly01](#): > > I feel like if its a land animal its close to 100 percent but obviously if its like a great white shark, Im not sure what would happen. You want scary ass animals, elephants, rhinos, and hippos. Most of the time they wont hurt a fly, but get one riled up and Bad Things™ happen. They will badly damage cars and kill humans without even trying. Adult make kodiak or polar bears are not somthing you want seeing you as food either. Even then, not sure what bear vs. hippo would look like. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/5 "2014-08-10T02:02:16Z")
Back in the day, at the close of the frontier, folks would stage fights between various animals for bloodsport entertainment. Apparently, an Adult Bull Bison was the unbeatable contender. [Here’s a video of two bison simply staring down a grizzly.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOYX3-Pov7U) ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/6 "2014-08-10T02:24:08Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > Adult make kodiak or polar bears are not somthing you want seeing you as food either. Even then, not sure what bear vs. hippo would look like. [Here is a photograph](https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7134/7486796404_b8ca4d3091_z.jpg) (possibly NSFW) ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/7 "2014-08-10T02:39:57Z")
I’d take a Black Mamba or Inland Taipan against nearly anything (except a mongoose, of course). Strike, and then just wait. . ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/8 "2014-08-10T02:50:16Z")
Given the vagueness of the question, this is better suited to IMHO than GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/9 "2014-08-10T05:01:29Z")
Right now, in it’s ability to find a way to kill other things, I’d say humans are the most dominant. Why should it be with only what we are born with? We don’t get nasty teeth, great strong bones & muscles, with really quick reflexes. But if I can gain a little time, I can be quite deadly. Do I get to know a contest is coming & when? If anything wants to take on my wife, they better bring a lunch. Just sayin… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/10 "2014-08-10T05:07:04Z")
Haven’t we done this before? My google/search-fu is lacking today, but didn’t we have a poster previously (last two years maybe??) who asked the same question/s with specific animals in mind? ---
**Author:** ![toofs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@toofs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toofs)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/11 "2014-08-10T06:40:42Z")
Hmmm, maybe a [tiger or lion](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=661555&highlight=tiger+lion). ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/12 "2014-08-10T07:46:39Z")
Humans. Even without modern (meaning post 25,000 BC) weapons, from the point of view of animals, we are unbeatable. Humans never tire and can kill from a distance. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/13 "2014-08-11T00:48:34Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > …Humans never tire and can kill from a distance. I might argue this point. As a matter of fact, I’m feeling a little tuckered out right now. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/14 "2014-08-11T18:36:13Z")
Maltese dog ---
**Author:** ![Lorene89095](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@Lorene89095](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorene89095)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/15 "2014-08-11T18:52:52Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > Back in the day, at the close of the frontier, folks would stage fights between various animals for bloodsport entertainment. Apparently, an Adult Bull Bison was the unbeatable contender. > > [Here’s a video of two bison simply staring down a grizzly.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOYX3-Pov7U) This animal on animal thing(instead of the cowardly humans fighting) is where the PitBull came from. Read the breed history,the part where an owner set his old bitch (who had puppys ready to sell) on a bull. When she had a good grip on the nose,he cut her apart,yelling encouragement all the time. I hate many humans,but him most of all ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/16 "2014-08-11T19:12:56Z")
There’s the question of ‘which animal would win,’ and then there’s the question of ‘which animal is less likely to back down’ (which to me reflects the “most dominant” wording better). Animal that won’t back down, despite size differences: honey badger. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/17 "2014-08-11T21:33:19Z")
Could a blue whale realistically swallow pretty much anything except a full grown elephant? ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/18 "2014-08-11T22:01:41Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Maltese dog Heh. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/19 "2014-08-11T22:06:22Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Could a blue whale realistically swallow pretty much anything except a full grown elephant? Nope. IIRC, Blue Whales are baleen whales: they don’t have what you’d consider teeth, just hairy plates they use to filter plankton from the water. My nomination for dominant animal on land is simply the biggest creature that can’t be taken down by a single predator (probably an elephant). In the water it’d be the sperm whale (followed close behind by orcas), which is the largest predator on the planet, afaik. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195/20 "2014-08-11T22:16:23Z")
Chuck Norris riding a grizzly bear [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-most-dominant-animal-1-on-1/695195.md?page=2)