There is an important, life-altering question on everyone’s mind: Would 100 men defeat one gorilla? The Timberlines staff has come to a consensus…yes, 100 men could defeat one gorilla. The sheer number of men is the leading cause of this conclusion.
A silverback gorilla, the dominant male in a gorilla troop, is a large primate. They typically stand at 4’11” to 5’11”l and weigh 300 to 430 pounds. Their arm span can range from eight feet to eight and a half feet, and they are estimated to be 7 to 18 times stronger than an adult male. While it is believed that a gorilla would win due to its sheer size, the staff disagrees. One man is roughly 5’9” and 175 pounds. Multiply the weight by 100, and the total weight a gorilla faces is 17,500 pounds. That is more weight than a 400-pound gorilla can handle. The vast number of men would be too deadly for a gorilla, considering their passive until provoked demeanor.
Gorillas are known to be scared and shy around humans, especially if their child is nearby. Their freight can be detrimental to their life and the breath that they take. If provoked, gorillas can be proven deadly. When aggressive, gorillas can one-punch a man, but not 100. It would take too much energy, which large species do not have.
With gorillas potentially becoming deadly, how would men combat their strength? Easy, they could line up and attack the gorilla one at a time, which is not efficient or effective, or they could pile up on the gorilla like pigeons on an ant hill. Gorillas stand no chance against 100 men’s weight, so the 100 men lying on top could temporarily stun and crush the gorilla. Ultimately, securing their lives.
While facts and reasonings are fun, the most important question for this hypothetical situation is…would this happen in real life? The likely answer is no. Gorillas are not primarily found in the wild; they are kept in enclosures at zoos, so their roaming is kept to a minimum. The average person will never encounter a gorilla in the wild. If they do, they would need 100 men to succeed.
