Which animal has the strongest bite in the world?

The saltwater crocodile is considered to have the strongest bite of any animal currently living on Earth. 

Bite force is the force exerted by the muscles and bones of the upper and lower jaws when an animal bites, according to a study published in the journal Frontiers . Animals with large bite forces usually have no problem chomping down on struggling prey. Some carnivores can even chew through prey with particularly tough armor.

The saltwater crocodile has the strongest bite on the planet. (Photo: Diana Lynne)

Of all living creatures, the saltwater crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus ) has the strongest bite force, at 16,460 newtons (N), according to a 2012 study in the journal PLOS One . Anything that falls into the jaws of a saltwater crocodile is subjected to enormous force during its dying moments.

Two other animals may rival or even beat the crocodile, but their bite forces have not been measured in real life because they are aquatic predators. If confirmed, the strongest bite force would belong to the killer whale (Orcinus orca ) , with a force of 84,516 N, according to estimates by the Dutch Shark Society, followed by the great white shark ( Carcharodon carcharias ), at 18,000 N, according to computer modeling used in a 2008 study published in the journal Zoology.

Among extinct animals, the bite force of the Tyrannosaurus rex was the strongest (35,000 N) when it lived on Earth from 66 to 68 million years ago. The giant shark Megalodon ( Otodus megalodon ) that ruled the oceans 3.6 to 15 million years ago had a bite force of up to 182,200 N. However, many questions remain about whether sharks could have defeated dinosaurs. It is difficult to compare them because of the different jaw structures and number of teeth of the two species, according to Jack Tseng, a biologist and associate professor of integrative biology at the University of California, Berkeley.

Bite force can be measured directly or estimated indirectly. Living animals can crush a force-measuring device, which is how scientists measure the bite force of saltwater crocodiles. For animals that can't be tested this way, like killer whales and sharks, bite force is calculated based on their body structure, shape, and the type of prey they hunt. Extinct animals are even harder to calculate, since only the jaw bones are in the skull. That's why researchers use simulations to recreate long-decomposed jaw muscles.

Many features contribute to bite force, including the strength of the head and jaw. Teeth are also a weapon. The head of a Tyrannosaurus rex had not only bone-crushing power, but also razor-sharp teeth. However, one factor that dominates it all is body size. According to Daniel Huber, a professor of environmental studies at the University of Tampa in Florida, body size is the most important factor in determining bite force.

Not all animals with a big bite are huge and have sharp teeth, however. Some aren't even carnivores. The Galapagos giant ground sparrow ( Geospiza magnirostris ) has the strongest bite relative to its size, according to a 2019 study in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The bird weighs just 33 grams, but its beak can crack a nut with a force of 70 N, 320 times that of a T. rex for its size. By comparison, the strongest human bite is around 1,000 N.