What Is the Strongest Animal Ever?
One of the most well-known questions concerning the animal kingdom is which is the strongest animal. While some may think of the elephant or a gorilla, the true answer will surprise you. Keep reading to learn about the strongest animal in the world, and how this creature has earned the title.
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What Is the Strongest Animal?
The strongest animal in the world is the dung beetle. While this creature may seem small and unassuming, its sheer relative power is unequaled in the animal kingdom. Also known as Scarabaeus lamarckii, the dung beetle is found on every continent except Antarctica.
These animals are renowned for moving objects many times heavier than their body weight. An average dung beetle can move objects up to 1,000 times its body weight. This would be the equivalent of an average person pulling six double-decker buses full of people!
Dung beetles are named for the dung they roll into round balls and can be used as a food source or breeding chambers. While some dung beetles are rollers, others are known as tunnelers and bury the dung wherever they find it. A third group is the dwellers who neither roll nor burrow, but simply live in the dung. All of the dung beetle species vary in color, size, body mass, and leg length depending on their environments.
How Is the Dung Beetle the Strongest Animal?
As with all animals, several factors contribute to the dung beetle’s strength to make it the strongest animal in the world. One factor is their efficient use of energy. By rolling dung into balls and using them as a food source or breeding ground, they maximize the energy they obtain from the environment.
Another factor is the beetle’s exoskeleton, providing structural support and helping the beetle withstand the forces exerted while moving dung balls. Lastly, the dung beetle’s horn-like structures, known as cephalic horns, enable them to generate leverage and power while moving heavy objects. These three factors combine and make an unstoppable force.
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Measuring Strength in the Animal Kingdom
Measuring animal strength can be difficult as they range in size and body type, but a variety of metrics have been developed to further investigate which is the strongest animal. One of these measurements is absolute strength, which refers to the maximum force an animal can exert. This can be shown through lifting, pushing, or pulling heavy objects.
The other measurement, that we will be using for this article, is relative strength. Relative strength considers an animal’s strength in relation to its body size. This helps to level the playing field across all types of animals, so even the smaller animals and insects can compete with the larger ones.
Other Strong Animals
There are plenty of other strong animals in our world. These are just a few of the strongest animals:
- Elephant: It’s trunk can lift more than 400 pounds.
- Gorilla: Their natural power can lift up to about 10 times their body weight.
- White Rhinos: They can lift up to 1,760 pounds, or around half of their body weight.
- Musk Oxen: Can lift around 1,980 pounds, around 1.5 times their body weight.
- Tigers: They have insane muscular power and are one of the strongest biting cats in the world.
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Whether it’s their muscular buildup or sheer lifting power, these are the strongest animals in the world. The dung beetle may seem small and unassuming, but their horns and exoskeleton give them a leg up against other animals and make their relative strength the best in the world.
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