A wild debate recently took over Twitter and quickly flooded TikTok: “Can 100 men take down 1 gorilla?” It all began when a user, Dream Chasn Mike, posted the question on Twitter, and the internet has been heavily debating ever since.
The tweet sparked two sides: Some believe 100 well-coordinated men could overpower a gorilla. Others strongly disagree, noting that a full-grown gorilla has incredible strength, which could tear through multiple humans in seconds.
Gorilla beringei beringei, or mountain gorilla
Habitat: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Uganda) and mountain forests in the Virunga Massif (Rwanda, Uganda, DRC).
Average Weight:Males: 160–220 kg (350–485 lbs), 90–110 kg (200–240 lbs) for females
Strength–10 times stronger than a normal human, capable of lifting 800 kg (1,800 lbs) of dead weight. Mighty bite force (up to 1,300 PSI) for tough vegetation.
Eastern Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri)
Also known as Grauer’s Gorilla Habitat: Eastern DRC’s lowland tropical woods.
Average Weight: 160–250 kg (350–550 lbs) for males, females: 180–220 pounds (80–100 kg)
Strength: regarded as the biggest and strongest subspecies of gorilla.
Outstanding arm strength; easily able to break bamboo stalks or bend iron bars
Western Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)
The most common subspecies is found in dense tropical forests in Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Congo.
Average weight is 140–200 kg (310–440 lbs) for males and 60–100 kg (130–220 lbs) for females.
Strength is excellent agility, with strong arms for climbing trees, and it can run up to 40 km/h in short bursts.
Cross River Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli)
Habitat: The mountainous and forested area that separates Nigeria and Cameroon
Average Weight: 150–200 kilograms (330–440 lbs) for males and Women: 150–200 pounds (70–90 kg)
Strength: Like other western gorillas, they are strong in close fighting but choose to stay out of conflict.
While the discussion is entertaining, it also hints at deeper conversations around strength, power dynamics, and a fascination with “what if” scenarios.
