How big is a gorilla compared to an emperor penguin?
A gorilla measures 1.3 m (4.27 ft) from the ground up, and an emperor penguin measures 95 cm (37.4 in) from the ground up. An emperor penguin would have to grow by 37% to match a gorilla, which is 1.37 times its height. Put the other way round, an emperor penguin covers 73% of a gorilla on the axis both are judged on. A gorilla is written in single metres and an emperor penguin in tens of centimetres, a whole band of scale apart.
| Object | Real size | Axis measured | What the figure covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gorilla | 1.3 m 4.27 ft |
Height | Average Male |
| Emperor Penguin | 95 cm 37.4 in |
Height | Average Male |
Both figures, Gorilla and Emperor Penguin, come from the Size It Up measurement set, one real-world size and one measured axis per object, last checked in September 2026; outline provenance is listed on the sources page.
Why this one is hard to judge by eye
A gorilla is drawn about 3.13 times as wide as an emperor penguin as well as 1.37 times its height, so the area it takes in the frame grows faster than the figure anyone quotes. Both shapes fit in a single glance here, which is exactly why the 37% between a gorilla and an emperor penguin slips past: at this size the eye compares whole outlines, and the figures above compare one axis. On the drawing above a gorilla is about 1.14 times as wide as it is tall and an emperor penguin about 2.01 times as tall as it is wide, so the two outlines fill the frame in ways that have nothing to do with the one axis being compared.
What each figure covers
Gorilla. Gorillas are quoted standing height at the shoulder rather than upright on two legs. They move on their knuckles, so the standing figure is the one that matches how you ever see them.
Emperor Penguin. Emperor penguins are measured standing upright, to the top of the head. They are the tallest penguin alive by a clear margin.
A gorilla and an emperor penguin are both quoted as a height, which is what makes the ratio above a like-for-like figure.
What else is about that size?
Measured the same way, Gorilla at 1.3 m sits within a tenth of Gimli at 1.37 m, Lord Farquaad at 1.37 m and A0 Paper at 1.19 m. Emperor Penguin at 95 cm has Rocket Raccoon at 95 cm, Mike Wazowski at 94 cm and R2-D2 at 96 cm for company, within a tenth. Swapping any of those in for a gorilla would move its ratio to an emperor penguin by less than 10%.