Orangutan or Gorilla: Which Is Bigger?

ApesGraphic showing representative apes (superfamily Hominoidea).

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), 135–220 kg (300–485 pounds)
  • female gorilla: 1.5 meters (4.9 feet), 70–90 kg (155–200 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 Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Teagan Wolter.