Orangutan or gorilla: Which is bigger?
Although the orangutan holds the title of largest arboreal animal, the ground-dwelling gorilla, the largest ape overall, is quite a bit bigger when comparing adults of the same sex. Female gorillas, however, stand only slightly taller than male orangutans and are typically lighter. The average height and weight of adult gorillas and orangutans in the wild are as follows:
- male gorilla: 1.7 meters (5.6 feet), 135β220 kg (300β485 pounds)
- female gorilla: 1.5 meters (4.9 feet), 70β90 kg (155β200 pounds)
- male orangutan: 1.3 meters (4.3 feet), 130 kg (285 pounds)
- female orangutan: 1.1 meters (3.6 feet), 37 kg (82 pounds)
The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Teagan Wolter.
Citation Information
Article Title:
Orangutan or gorilla: Which is bigger?
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
05 November 2026
Access Date:
November 14, 2026