Ape Strength: Myth vs Reality

[Shadow]

(09-30-2019, 12:43 AM)Roberto Wrote: ok, first of all, the largest gorilla subspecie, the Eastern lowland gorilla, they can reach a max weight of about 550 lbs, so at max weights its not much different the modern lions/tigers.

http://redirect.viglink.com/?format=go&j...a-weigh%2F

Researchgate:  The Strength of Great Apes and the Speed of Humans

The musculoskeletal system of mammals can be adapted for either stregth or speed, BUT NOT BOTH. great apes (like bears), have evolved for strength, big cats have evolved for speed, this is clear.

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https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.researchgate.net/publication/26883094_The_Strength_of_Great_Apes_and_the_Speed_of_Humans/amp

It would be interesting to see whole study, because there is more recent study, giving results that chimpanzees are about 1,5 times stronger than humans "pound for pound" and muscle fibers 1,35 times stronger. That study say 4 times, but there is no source for that claim. Is that from those old "studies" from 1920 or something like that?

And 550 lbs, there have been some which might have been that much, older and pretty fat looking gorillas, while lions and tigers at 550 lbs are still fit and more muscle compared to body weight than gorillas have. Younger prime gorillas look more fit, but then again also not as heavy as those older ones. But even though I am not sure if there are confirmed gorillas even 500 lbs, I believe too, that some well fed individuals can be in those weights.

But it looks like, that there is nothing to back up claims, that gorillas would be extraordinary strong when compared to other strong animals. Of course they are strong, but any animal in between 150-200 kg is strong :) Reply