The undisputed king of the African savanna, the lion commands respect with a bone-crushing bite force and claws that can shred steel-drum lids. Hunting in coordinated prides, a male lion's 550-pound frame and thunderous roar can be heard from five miles away. Few animals dare challenge this apex predator on its home turf.

The ultimate team player of the animal kingdom, the gray wolf hunts in coordinated packs with military precision that would make Navy SEALs jealous. Individually, a wolf can sprint at 40 mph and deliver a 400 PSI bite—but its true weapon is pack tactics that can exhaust and overwhelm prey ten times its size. They don't fight fair, and that's exactly why they win.