Welcome to Survival of the Fittest, where we speak about a variety of animals going head to head to see who would win in this intense battle. Whether the animals are natural competitors, allies, or found across the globe, all of their skills will be put to the test to see who can take home the crown. We’re your guides, Alex and Miles, and we know that everyone wants to know who will win. From speed to strength, Survival of the Fittest goes extremely in depth into all the nitty gritty. So join us for the next intense battle to crown the next animal champion.

An introduction to the world of Survival of the Fittest, showcasing why we’re here. We exist to share an objective opinion on the world’s weirdest battles.

May 11, 2025 – Grey Wolf VS. Spotted Hyena

Welcome back to Survival of the Fittest. In today’s matchup, we have a battle between the Gray Wolf, and the Spotted Hyena.

Although each species is found in separate regions of the world with the Gray Wolf being found primarily in the Americas, and the Hyena in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, they have very similar traits.

Before we jump into battle, let’s compare some important features when debating whether a Gray Wolf or a Spotted Hyena would win in a battle. Each animal is fierce in their own unique way. While the Gray Wolf has teeth and jaws adapted for eating meat of prey like Deer and Rabbits, the Spotted Hyena has the jaws for a much wider range of prey, and has teeth that can crush bones.

When comparing the size of both the Gray Wolf and the Spotted Hyena, although they have slightly different builds, the Gray Wolf is slightly larger in size but also slightly lighter than the Spotted Hyena who is smaller yet heavier.

While both the Wolf and Hyena are carnivorous and social animals, the Hyena has a higher top speed and biting power relative to the Wolf, as Hyenas are more closely related to felines. Hyenas also create screaming like noises to intimidate their opponent.

However, this doesn’t completely discount the Gray Wolf’s abilities as it’s generally more agile. With all these considered, let’s put them to battle!

This perilous battle starts off with a scream from the Hyena attempting to intimidate the Wolf, but it’s ineffective. Then, there are a flurry of attacks from the spotted hyena. However, the Gray Wolf makes quick work of these attacks and dodges and defends them effortlessly. Next, the Gray Wolf retaliates and wraps around with a quick snap at the Hyenas rear left leg. It then pins the Hyena to the ground and swiftly ends the battle with a strike to the throat.

The key for the Gray Wolf’s success lies in its ability to out last and overpower the Hyena. Its greater stamina and overall size, despite the Hyena’s quicker movements, make the Gray Wolf victorious.

May 15, 2025 – Golden-Crowned Flying Fox VS. American Crow

Today’s matchup on Survival of the Fittest is of the aerial variety, the common American Crow versus the Golden-Crowned Flying Fox from the Philippines. 

Unlike last week’s matchup, these two are incredibly different apart from their wings. The Golden-Crowned Flying Fox belongs to the Pteropodidae (old world fruit bats) family while the American Crow simply belongs to the Corvidae family.

Along with the difference in families between the extraordinary Golden-Crowned Flying Fox and the common American Crow, other differences such as strength, agility, size, and ferocity can also be attributed to each individual.

The Crow exhibits a great advantage in the intelligence department. Crows are some of the smartest animals in the world. They are similarly intelligent as primates, as they are able to use tools and can solve puzzles very quickly. The American Crow is also far more agile and would be able to avoid most of the Flying Fox’s attacks.

The Golden-Crowned Flying Fox on the other hand gains the advantage in raw strength and size. Its larger stature and increased biting power would make its attacks far greater than any the Crow could muster.

This battle comes down to the battle of strength and wits. Who will prevail? Let’s find out!

This battle commences with a barrage of slow, but strong attacks from the Flying Fox. The Crow dodges swiftly as it tests its opponent. It then counters these attacks with precise pokes with its beak as it tries to attack weak points, like the eyes or neck. The Flying Fox is able to block these attacks with its wings or by narrowly avoiding them. It then advances with one swift bite to the wing, injuring the Crow and making it hurl to the ground. It then is able to finish the fight with one more strike as the Golden-Crowned Flying Fox, lives up to its name, and reigns victorious.

The result of this battle only comes down to one aspect, strength. Although the crow has a far greater ability to dodge attacks and its intelligence is unmatched by the Flying Fox, the Golden-Crowned Flying Fox’s greater strength overall compared to the American Crow completely overpowers any agility that the crow uses against the Flying Fox. Thus, this battle concludes that sometimes one specific ability such as strength, can sometimes be enough to take home the victory.

May 23, 2025 – American Pika VS. European Mole

Welcome back to Survival of the Fittest. Today’s matchup falls between two tiny  foes—the American Pika, and the European Mole. Each mini mammal in today’s battle has certain attributes to aid them in this minuscule skirmish.

The American Pika holds the size advantage in this bout at about 3.8oz. Comparatively, the European Mole holds a weight of only 3.1oz, not much of a difference normally, but it is a considerable difference at this teeny scale. 

The European Mole’s ability to burrow may provide an advantage to the surface dwelling Pika. It’s able to quickly get down and hide from a predator. This could be helpful, although if the ground is too hard, the Mole will be unable to get into the ground. The Mole’s sharp claws would also aid in attacks against a Pika and would cause considerable damage.

Though they have a very cuddly and stuffed animal like appearance, don’t let the little American Pika fool you completely. Pikas are known to be very territorial, so although their petite high pitched calls they make regularly may sound cute, they are used as a warning, defending their territory, and danger. Along with their cheeky callings, they are able to avoid predation by a mix of their sharp eyes, hearing, and their vigilance.

And so, let us begin!

The mole begins by burrowing deep into the ground and circles behind the Pika as it unleashes an upward slashing attack, perfectly parried by the American Pika. The Pika quickly rotates and releases a high pitched scream, attempting to warn the Mole of any future attacks. 

However, the mole does not listen, and continues to slash at the Pika, in an attempt to win this week’s teeny tiny battle. The Mole ends up landing 2 slashes that hurt the Pika, but only slows the Pika down for a moment, before the Pika lands a quick bite to the Mole’s side, leaving the Mole in a state of vulnerability. It then claims victory with one final strike, leaving the Mole defeated.

The Pika’s victory lies primarily in its agility and through its higher level of strength. The American Pika is almost 50% larger than the European Mole, and because of its razor sharp eyes and hearing, it had no problem deflecting all of the Mole’s attacks. While the Mole has sharp claws that are great for digging and escape, their paws are simply outclassed by the Pika’s territorial nature and ferocity.