1. Orca
It has the strongest bite of any animal. Orcas are considered universal predators, and their pods (or families) hunt all manner of sea creatures, including fish, squid, dolphins, seals, sea lions and other whales.
They are considered apex predators, sitting at the top of the food chain in their ecosystems and having no rivals. Every day they need to eat roughly four percent of their body weight. Meanwhile, females of this species can weigh up to 4,000 kg.
2. Crocodile
Nile crocodiles and saltwater crocodiles have a bite force ranging from 4,262 to 5,760 kg per square centimeter. Crocodiles will eat anything they can add to their list of victims, including turtles, snakes, fish, livestock, wild boars and buffalo that come too close to the water. These predators are believed to be capable of destroying an animal of any size that crosses their path.
3. Great white shark
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Great white sharks are responsible for more attacks on humans than any other species of shark. They use their bite force of 4,600 kg per square cm to hunt pinnipeds such as seals and sea lions.
Despite having nearly 300 teeth, sharks do not chew their food. They use their jaws and enormous bite force to tear their prey into manageable pieces, which are then swallowed whole.
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4. Alligator
The alligator is usually less aggressive than the crocodile, but it can inflict severe wounds on humans with its powerful jaws.
Alligators eat roughly once a week. Sometimes they snack on fruit, but they prefer to eat meat. When young alligators are learning to hunt, they tend to be more energetic in pursuing their prey, even hunting birds in the air. As they age, their hunting instinct grows, and they are able to eat snakes, fish and mammals that come close to the water.
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Researchers believe that a force like that of an alligator's bite could move a car. So it is best not to end up between its teeth.
5. Hippopotamus
This is the third-largest land mammal alive today; they are semiaquatic and live in sub-Saharan Africa.
Despite the incredible strength of their jaws, hippos are herbivores. That said, hippos are considered dangerous to humans and can be quite aggressive. They can reach speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour, and they are believed to be very difficult to tame or train. With the power of their jaws and their enormous mouth, delivering a fatal bite to a human is no trouble at all.
6. Jaguar
Jaguars live in Central and South America, as well as the southwestern United States. They are big cats that can reach 1.8 meters in length and nearly a hundred kilograms in weight. They are very fast and can reach speeds of up to 130 miles per hour. Their bite force is enormous, which, combined with their speed, allows them to hunt animals four times their size. Even the name «jaguar» comes from an indigenous phrase meaning «he who kills with one leap.»
The jaguar's bite force allows it to pierce the sturdy shell of a turtle, the armored hide of a crocodile, and crush the skull of any animal it can catch.
7. Gorilla
Despite their enormous bite force, gorillas are mainly vegetarians. Their habitat is the tropical forests of equatorial Africa, and they most often live on the ground. They use their strong jaws to strip bark from trees, although they sometimes like to snack on ants, snails and larvae.
8. Polar bear
Polar bears live beyond the Arctic Circle, where they fight for survival in the harshest temperatures on Earth. These predators sit at the top of the food chain in the Arctic marine ecosystem. They feed mainly on ringed seals. Their bite force exceeds 1,200 pounds per square inch, and they are the strongest in the bear family.
9. Grizzly bear
Grizzly bears live in North America. They can weigh up to 300 kg. Unlike polar bears, grizzlies are not strictly carnivorous. They like to eat berries, roots and grass. But they are not opposed to other food, either. Thanks to their huge sharp teeth and strong jaws, grizzlies even eat deer and elk when they manage to catch them.
The bite force of these bears is enough to crush a bowling ball (or a human skull) without much effort.
10. Hyena
Hyenas live in sub-Saharan Africa and in some parts of Asia, and they have surprisingly strong jaws for their size. They can crack the bones of any mammal with ease to get at the marrow. Incidentally, hyenas have a greater bite force than lions.
