| Great White Shark | Crocodile |
|---|---|
|
|
| Wins 90.70% of 1k fights | Wins 9.30% of 1k fights |
In the battle arena today, we have two of my favorite animals in the world: the Saltwater Crocodile and the Great White Shark. Both aquatic beasts are similar in size, strength, and temperament, so it's shaping up to be as close, bloody, and treacherous a battle as modern U.S. presidential races. To determine who the victor will be, we'll first analyze each combatant's size to see who takes the early lead in the bulk department.
From snout to tail tip, a Saltie grows up to 17 feet on average. The Great White is considerably longer, growing up to 20 feet typically. When it comes to weight, a croc can tip the scales at a whopping 1,000 pounds on average. This is impressive, but Great Whites are much heavier. These giant fish routinely weigh over 2,000 pounds, with one specimen, Deep Blue, coming in at nearly 5,000 pounds.
While their lengths are comparable, Great White Sharks are ahead of crocs in terms of weight. So for this one, the edge goes to the white shark. Size doesn't always equate to strength, so all is not lost for the croc. Let's examine the bite force of these two giants in the next section.
A Saltie chomps down on prey at around 3,700 psi. This is more than enough to crush bone, subdue large wildebeests, and generally rip most animals and even vehicles apart. The Great White Shark has a slightly stronger bite force rated at around 4,000 psi. But it's also much bigger than the croc. So if we were going to rate this pound for pound, then the crocodile has around twice the biting force of the shark. However, there is no power scaling in the animal kingdom, so the advantage for bite strength goes to the shark.
We've seen our fishy contender take the lead in both size and bite power, but how will it fare in a battle of wits? Neither animal is renowned for its intelligence. In reality, they are both about as dumb as Siri when compared with other aquatic animals like Dolphins. Let's find out who packs the higher brainpower.
White Sharks are smart enough to vary their techniques and cater them specifically to the type of prey they are hunting. They know the best way to snatch a seal is from below, so they ambush them by blasting through the water with enough power to propel their 2,000 to 4,000-pound bodies out of the water.
They do not, however, use tools, nor have they been observed passing on information to younger generations. Thus, we can assume the sharks are largely driven by millions of years of honed, predatory instinct. They are hard-wired for the efficient hunting techniques we see them use, which makes their mastery of these techniques less reliant on intelligence.
Crocodiles, on the other hand, have been observed using tools like sticks to lure birds and can coordinate attacks with other crocs to bring down large prey. They also have more complex social structures than sharks and have displayed the capacity to learn and adapt to different challenges.
Again, I wouldn't want either of these creatures helping my kids with SAT prep, but the clear winner in the brains department is the Saltwater Crocodile. Now, let's see which of these creatures puts their wits, size, and power together the best to bring down prey and defend their territories.
It was tough determining which creature was the more successful hunter as both employ different tactics and tend to hunt in very different environments. But according to the data available to me, Great Whites have a 48% success rate, while data on the crocodile's killing prowess is too sparse to assign a percentage.
However, salties have a much more diverse palate and will eat anything that'll fit in their mouths. They eat turtles, fish, snakes, deer, and many other unfortunate souls. Their varied diet contributes to their success rate, as they are not picky eaters and are likely to find food easier than their pickier opponent with a taste for seal.
But the software engineer in me leans towards data, and since the croc doesn't really have much, the winner here is the Great White. We've now thoroughly examined our competitors and can move them into the Fantasy Brawls battle simulator to determine who the true king of the Saltie Seas is.
I know you're wondering, would a great white and a crocodile actually fight? And the answer to that is...probably not. Great Whites are huge and hunt in deep, deep water, while crocs generally inhabit the shallows. If they are out in the open ocean, it's likely due to them migrating or being displaced.
In our battle scenario, the fight will occur in the open ocean as it's highly improbable that a Great White would venture into the murky shallows where crocs hang out.
A 17-foot Saltwater Crocodile is migrating to greener, more fertile hunting grounds. To get to its new home, it must traverse the open ocean, where a hungry, 20-foot Great White Shark is patrolling. The battle ensues when the Shark attempts to take a test bite out of the Saltie.
The croc evades, then makes an attempt to bite the shark back. It manages to nip the shark's pectoral fin, but the shark, being more adept in deep water, is able to maneuver itself into position for a fatal strike. After a number of failed strikes, the Great White finally lands a monstrous bite on the croc's side.
Its armored plating prevents much damage from the top of the croc's body, but its softer sides and underbelly are much less resistant. The croc, now mortally wounded, attempts to flee but is losing too much blood and succumbs to its wounds. The winner of this epic, bloody conflict is the Great White Shark.
The massive White Shark swam away with a big, juicy W in its mouth during this fateful encounter with the saltie. But, have you ever wondered how a shark would do if it were to encounter a killer whale in the wild? Well, we've got the answer for you in our Orca vs Shark battle simulator.
Posted by: Matt Irving on 11/05/2024
