11 Herbivores That Can Kill Carnivores Like Lion Easily

Herbivores are quite peaceful creatures but when threatened, they become especially violent creatures not to be messed with. Many people think herbivores are helpless but are indeed wrong. Here we have made a list of herbivores that can kill carnivores like lions easily when challenged.

11) Porcupine

Weapon: Sharp quills

Eats: Berries, bark, leaves, roots, nuts, etc

Can kill: Wolves, lions, and other cat families

Porcupines generally have 30,000 quills lying flat which stand up only when feeling threatened to look almost double in size. This animal is not scared of fighting and has been seen defending from a pack of lions alone. These herbivores can easily kill any carnivores if their quills successfully pierce their heart or arteries. These species surprisingly never get out of ammo as they can grow their quill multiple times.

10) Wild boar

Weapon: Charge with incredible speed, tusk, and bite

Eats:  Roots, fallen fruits, nuts, and acorns

Can kill: Leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas

Wild boar with a solid body build combined with 40 km/hr speed makes them a deadly weapon when they charge at you. They can jump about 150 cm high and even has a bite force(3690N) powerful enough to easily kill leopards. Boars have strong and sharp Tusks which they use regularly to dig mud and also as weapons. These herbivores animals attack their opponent by charging full at full speed, flipping them meters high in the air, injuring them with their tusks, and later biting them to death.

9) Ostrich

Weapon: Pecking with beak and kicking with sharp claws

Eats:  Plants, grains, fruits, and a small portion of insects

Can kill: Lions, cheetahs, leopards, etc

An Ostrich can not only grow about nine feet tall but also can weigh up to 350 pounds. They can’t fly thus they keep on running all day which helps them build strong killer legs. Their legs alone are about 1.7 ft in length which are quite capable of delivering a deadly kick of about 2,000 pounds per square inch. Ostrich can run at an unbelievable speed of 70 km/h and is equipped with two razor-sharp toes to obviously slash opponents. If cornered these herbivores can kill carnivores by delivering killing blows that can slash open any animal and bleed them to death.

8) Wildebeests

Weapon: Physical strength and Sharp horns

Eats: Grass and plants

Can kill: Lions, hyenas, African wild dogs, cheetahs, and leopards

Wildebeests live in herds in which small ones are protected by older and larger ones while running as a pack. These species are basically strong enough to lift lioness up by their horns and run at a speed of 80 km/h. To protect themselves from predators a group of these herbivores animals begins stomping the ground. This indeed serves as an alert call for herds far away that they are in danger. 

7) Zebra– herbivores that can kill carnivores with a single kick

Weapon: Deadly kick and powerful bite

Eats: Grass and leaves

Can kill: Lions, African wild dogs, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas

Zebra has a deadly kick of 3000 pounds force which can actually kill a carnivore like a lion in only one strike. A successful kick from their strong hooves can easily shatter a lion’s skull, knock it out of action and a precise blow to the heart will mean instant death. Their bites are not muscle tearing but can easily crush the big bones of carnivores. They can run at an amazing speed of 65 km/h and that too in a zigzag pattern in order to avoid being eaten by predators.

6) Giraffe

Weapon: kick using its hind legs and throwing blows using their neck

Eats:  Leaves of acacia and mimosa tree, seeds, branches of trees, and occasionally grass

Can kill: Lions, cheetahs, leopards, crocodiles, and wild dogs

Giraffe kicks force is about 2000 PSI which can shatter the skull of a lion easily. Their neck weighs nearly about 500 pounds; which they swing with such force that basically one hit can kill a human easily. Giraffe has an incredible advantage of height that lion can’t bite with their signature windpipe-killing attack. Male giraffes can grow 1900 kg in weight, thus for animals like leopards and cheetahs weight of this herbivore is surely enough to crush them.

5) Indian Gaur(Bison)

Image source: PJeganathan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Weapon: Muscular strength and massive horns

Eats:  Herbs, shrubs, and grasses

Can kill: Lion, tigers, and other small cats

Indian Gaur are massive herbivores that can weigh up to 1000-1500 kg which is heavier than water buffalo and bison. Male species particularly are extremely muscular and produce enough power to stab their predators brutally. Even though they are muscular Gaur are calm species and doesn’t get into unnecessary fights like buffaloes. Gaur lives in herds of 10-15 animals in size, and the leaders of their group are females who decide grazing areas and herd protection.

4) Rhino

Weapon:  Muscular strength, horns, impenetrable skin, and bite force

Eats:  Grass, Trees, and bushes

Can kill: Lion, tiger, and crocodile

The largest species of rhinos are Indian rhinoceros which particularly weighs up to 2700 kg with a height of 7 feet and a length of 11.5 feet. Rhinos though have poor eyesight but also have a keen sense of hearing and smell along with a strong bite force of 1000 PSI. Despite their size and weight, these herbivores charge at carnivores with quite an amazing speed of 45 km/hr. Lions don’t even dare to go near a full-grown rhino because they too know it’s like battling with an armored tank.

3) African buffalo– herbivores that can kill carnivores with a single stab

Weapon:  Body strength and formidable horns

Eats:  Legumes, straw, plants, and grass

Can kill: Lion, cheetahs, leopards, and hyenas

African buffalo are so aggressive and unpredictable that they are even called as “Black Death”. They can basically run up to 37 miles per hour and are indeed powerful enough to toss lioness into mid-air. Their deadly horns are quite different and usually meet in the middle of their heads forming a helmet-shaped hard shield. Buffalo’s main strength is their living in herds and coming in groups to defend each other.

2) Hippo– herbivores that can kill carnivores with a single bite

Weapon:  Bite force and huge body mass

Eats:  Vegetation near rivers, grass, fruits, leaves, and roots

Can kill: Lion, hyenas, and crocodiles

Hippos have one of the most brutal bite forces in the world about 12600 kPa. This bite force is about three times that of a Lion(4500kPa) thus they can crush a complete crocodile in two. Hippos are not only aggressive in nature but also solely responsible for 500 human deaths annually. They can weigh nearly 1500-1800 kg yet still can run at an incredible speed of 30 km/h.

1) African Elephant– herbivores that can kill carnivores with a single stomp

Weapon:  Muscular strength and Long tusks

Eats:  Grass, fruit, roots, leaves, and branches

Can kill: Lion, tigers, hyenas, and crocodiles

African Elephants are without a doubt the largest mammal on earth weighing up to 13.5 tons. They are heavy eaters and can consume 225 kg of vegetation per day. Their trunks can grow up to 7 feet long and can easily lift 250 kg of weight. Elephants are very protective of their calf and territory; they even fight with a herd of lions alone to protect it.

Thus we conclude our list of deadly herbivores that can kill carnivores brutally with the weapons nature has gifted them. Hope you liked the article.