The largest mammal on earth. The largest animals in the world. place. Blue or blue whale
The name of the superorder Laurasiatheria is based on the common origin of the mammals belonging to it from somewhere in Laurasia - they all descended from some lucky population of animals that lived on this ancient continent about 95 million years ago, and spread initially, even during the time of dinosaurs , across the Northern Hemisphere, and from there they moved on to conquer the rest of the planet.
[without a number]. Insectivora- hedgehogs, moles, shrews, slittooths - traditionally an order, but in fact paraphyletic, that is, a combined group of animals that have preserved the most archaic structure, which has changed little since the time of dinosaurs. Looking at them, you can imagine the common ancestors of all the animals that will be discussed in this part. There are no giants among them, but as an example I would like to mention Chuchundra - remember, Kipling’s, which could not go into the middle of the room? So this is a real animal, only not a rat, but a giant shrew ( Suncus murinus, chuchundar), it is found in India and Southeast Asia. Well, for a shrew it’s gigantic – 20-23 cm long including the tail.
18. Chiroptera (Chiroptera)- the only order of mammals whose representatives are capable of active flight. This second largest (after rodents) order includes 1,200 species. The largest of them have long lived not in caves, but in forests, where fossil remains are poorly preserved, and we have only one largest representative, a modern one - the maned Acerodon ( Acerodon jubatus), which can grow up to 2 m in wingspan and weigh more than 1.5 kg. A harmless frugivorous endemic from the Philippines.
19. Squad Tzimolestov (Cimolesta, which means “white clay stealers”) was considered extinct in the Miocene, having previously given rise as a side branch, but recent genetic studies have shown that modern pangolins, traditionally classified as a separate order, belong to it. The largest of these scaly ant eaters is the giant pangolin ( Manis gigantea), living in Africa. Length 140 cm, weight up to 33 kg. In the old days, cymolests were no less bizarre, and the largest known was barylambda ( Barylambda faberi) from the Paleocene (60-56 million years ago) of North America. The length of this herbivore was about 2.5 m, weight about 650 kg.
20. Dinocerata- an extinct order of mammals that lived from the Upper Paleocene to the Middle Eocene (59-41 million years ago) in North America and Asia. One of the first large mammals to appear since the extinction of the dinosaurs. A sort of trial, alpha version of ungulates that left no descendants. The largest of them is the Uintatherium. Uintatherium anceps 1.50 m high at the withers, about 3.3 m long, lived in the Middle Eocene in North America.
21. - another extinct order of mammals, peculiar predators of ungulate origin. The largest of them, and at the same time the largest land mammal predator, was Andrewsarchus Andrewsarchus mongoliensis from the Upper Eocene of Mongolia (45-36 million years ago). 3.4 m in length without a tail (all 5 with a tail), 1.5 m at the withers and 800-900 kg of live weight.
22. Creodonts (Creodonta)- an extinct order of predatory mammals that I talked about. The largest of them was and still remains Megistotherium Megistotherium osteothlastes weighing about 880 kg, more than 3.5 m long and a 65 cm long skull. It lived in the Middle Miocene (12 million years ago) in what is now Egypt, Libya and Kenya.
23. Next comes the squad carnivorous (Carnivora). Family Felidae needs no introduction and contains three champions: the largest modern tiger ( Panthera tigris), the Amur subspecies of which grows up to 3.3 m in length, 1.2 m at the withers and weighs up to 300 kg; extinct American subspecies of lion ( Panthera leo atrox) – 3.7 m in length as the largest and saber-toothed Smilodon populator with 470 kg as the most massive.
24. Hyenas (Hyaenidae)- well-known predators (not to be confused with the cat family!), convergently similar to canines, and genetically close to civets. The largest species today is the spotted hyena ( Crocuta crocuta), reaching up to 1.5 - 1.6 m in length, with a shoulder height of 90 cm, and the largest in history was a 190-kilogram short-faced hyena Pachycrocuta brevirostris, which lived in Europe between 1.6 and 0.5 million years ago and performed the same biological role there as its modern spotted sister in Africa.
25. Percrocutidae- hyena-like predators that lived in Asia, Africa and southern Europe from the Miocene to the Pliocene (about 20-2.59 million years ago). However, they were more closely related to the cat-like nimravids than to the much more similar hyenas. They were apparently replaced by real hyenas. Reached its largest size Dinocrocuta gigantea,
26. In the family canids (Canidae) Domestic dogs compete for the title of largest species ( Canis lupus familiaris) and extinct Epicyon haydeni, who lived between 10 and 13 million years ago in North America. Epicyon was 2.4 m long and weighed over a hundred.
27. The largest representative Ursids (Ursidae) and the largest land predator of our time - the polar bear ( Ursus maritimus). Its length reaches 3 m, weight up to 1 ton. The largest bear of all time is Arctotherium angustidens- a bear about 3.5 m in length from the Pleistocene (2 million - 10 thousand years ago). South America.
28. Family raccoons (Procyonidae) today it cannot boast of giants. But the ancestors of the bear from the previous section, having come from North America to South America, apparently, competitively wiped out Chapalmalania altaefrontis- a giant (meter at the withers) raccoon that lived there between 5.3 and 1.8 million years ago).
29. Pinnipeds (Pinnipedia) previously they formed one unit together, but today they figured out what it was - true seals (Phocidae), walruses (Odobenidae) And eared seals (Otariidae). The largest representatives of all three families are living today. This is respectively the southern elephant seal ( Mirounga leonina, 6.9 m x 5t), walrus ( Odobenus rosmarus, 4.9 m x 2t) and sea lion ( Eumetopias jubatus, 3.5 m x 1t).
30. That’s all with the predatory animals, let’s move on to the squad equids (Perissodactyla). Brontotheriidae- an extinct family of equids that lived from the Eocene to the beginning of the Oligocene. Despite the similarity with rhinoceroses, they were related closer to horses, and the horns on their nose were not keratin, but outgrowths of the nasal bones of the skull, and served not so much as a weapon, but as a snorkel when feeding on swamp vegetation and a resonating chamber. The largest of them was Embolotherium ( Embolotherium sp.), who lived in the territory of the modern Gobi Desert 50 million years ago. He was about 2.5 m at the withers and weighed about 2000 kg.
31. As for the actual Rhinoceros (Rhinocerotidae), then they are thanks to the white rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum) today occupy the place of the second largest land animal on the planet after the elephant. The weight of old males can reach 5 tons, body length - 4.2 m, height at the shoulders - 2 m. The largest rhinoceros in history is Elasmotherium Elasmotherium caucasicum, who lived in Eurasia from the Pliocene to the Pleistocene, up to 6 m long, 2.5 m high.
32. Family close to rhinoceroses - Hyracodontidae. Most of them were small hornless creatures with a light build and resembled small horses, but this family includes the largest land mammal of all time - Indricotherium Paraceratherium tienshanense. This beauty, up to 5.5 m high at the withers, 9 m long and weighing about 15 tons, lived in Asia in the Oligocene between 33 and 23 million years ago.
33. Using the example of a family equidae (Equidae) it is very good to demonstrate consistent evolution - its representatives, over the course of 55 million years, smoothly and consistently lost their extra toes and grew from a 20-centimeter Hyracotherium (a common ancestor with Indricotherium) to the actual life-size horse. Then people intervened in the process, as a result we have a domestic horse ( Equus ferus caballus) as the largest representative of the family. The historical height record belongs to Samson, born in 1850, later renamed Mammoth, whose height reached 218 cm at the withers, and the tallest living horse in the world is considered to be the English draft horse Noddy, 2.05 meters high at the withers and weighing one and a half tons.
34. Another family related to horses - Chalicotheriidae– represented by strange creatures that lived from the Eocene to the Pliocene (40-3.5 million years ago). Their fingers, despite belonging to the order of equids, were not hooves, but thick claws. Some of them extracted roots and tubers from the ground, others ate leaves, bending tree branches with their paws. Their sizes varied from comparable to a sheep to a 2.7-meter chalicotherium at the withers Chalicotherium sp..
35. Let's move on to artiodactyls. To the family bovids (Bovidae) include buffalos, antelopes and other goats - those ruminants whose horns are unbranched, non-replaceable and covered with a horny sheath. Today the largest cow is the Gaur ( Bos frontalis). Its body length is more than three meters, its height at the shoulders reaches 2.3 m, and its weight can in some cases reach 2000 kg. Pleistocene American giant bison ( Bison latifrons) was already 5 m long and weighed the same two tons on average, and not as a record. The distance between the tips of its horns is 2.5 m.
36. Representatives of the family cervidae have branched, regularly shed and regrow horns, usually growing only on males. The most primitive representatives do not have horns, but they do have fangs. Today the largest deer is the elk ( Alces alces) – body length up to 3 m, height at the withers up to 2.3 m, weight up to 600 kg. But Thranduil in Peter Jackson’s film - remember it yourself and tell all your friends! - sat astride not just any elk, but a megaloceros or big-horned deer ( Megaloceros giganteus). This largest representative of the family, exterminated by humans back in the Pleistocene, resembled an elk in size, but weighed about 750 kg, and its antlers reached 3.65 m in width. Its range covered most of Eurasia, from Western Europe to western China.
37. Family camelids (Camelidae) today it is not numerous, and its largest representative is the dromedary camel ( Camelus dromedarius) about 2 m in height at the withers and weighing 600 kg. Giant camel ( Titanotylopus nebraskensis), who lived 10.3-1.8 million years ago in North America, was 3.5 m tall at the withers, 5 m long and weighed about 2 tons.
38. Giraffidae- a family of artiodactyls, currently found exclusively in Africa and containing two genera, in which there is one species each: giraffe ( Giraffa camelopardalis) and okapi. The first is the tallest mammal of the present time and the largest representative of the family in history.
39. Treasure Suoidea includes the families Suidae (Pigs), Tayassuidae (Peccaries) and Entelodontidae (Entelodonts). The largest representative of the modern family, as you might guess, is the domestic pig subspecies of wild boar ( Sus scrofa domesticus), individual individuals of which can reach a ton of weight or more. Lived in North America during the Miocene Daeodon shoshonensis- a representative of entelodonts with a height of 3.4 m in length, 2.4 m in height at the withers and a weight of 900 kg.
40. Family hippopotamuses (Hippopotamidae) used to be classified as suborder Porciniformes or non-ruminants, but from a cladistics point of view they are closer to whales and ruminants than to pigs. Today the largest hippopotamus is the common ( Hippopotamus amphibius), reaching 3 m in length, 1.65 m at the withers and sometimes weighing more than 4 tons. But this is not the height of God’s ways - in the Pleistocene it was found in the lakes of Western Sahara Hippopotamus gorgops 4.3 meters long. Well, in appearance - a hippopotamus is a hippopotamus.
Well, we are left with the order of cetaceans (Cetacea), which includes no less than 14 families, to which we will devote a separate part - why are they worse than sauropods, in the end?
Our world is full of various representatives of fauna: small, short, light and vice versa. Animals come in all sorts of shapes and can reach different sizes: from microscopic (Kiti's bat) to a 30-meter blue whale! Some of them are huge. Here are the most leading ones in terms of their gigantic size:
1. Largest whale: blue whale (200 tons)
The largest animal that has ever existed still lives on our planet today. Balaenoptera musculus, more affectionately known as the Blue Whale, is superior to any living creature past or present (including dinosaurs).
The blue whale's heart beats only 5-6 times per minute.
2. Largest elephant: African elephant (7 tons)
The African elephant weighs less than the blue whale for an obvious reason: the buoyancy of the water helps counter the blue whale's weight, while elephants are land-dwellers.
One of the reasons why the African elephant has huge ears is to help dissipate heat his inner body. The warm, seven-ton mammal produces a lot of calories.
3. Largest Dolphin: Raptor Dolphin (6 to 7 tons)
Killer whales, known as dolphins, at six or seven tons, male killer whales are larger than the largest sharks, meaning that they, and not great white sharks, are the main predators of the oceans.
Some feed exclusively on fish, while others hunt mammals such as seals.
4. Largest hoofed mammal: hippopotamus (5 tons)
Also known as the hippopotamus. It is one of two extant species in the family Hippopotami Dae, the other being dwarf hippopotamus.
Ungulates, or arthropods, are a widespread plant-eating family. The common hippopotamus lives in rivers, lakes and swamps, where territorial "masters" control a section of the river, forming in groups of five to thirty females and young offspring.
5. One-legged white rhinoceros (5 tons)
It is also called the square rhinoceros. An odd-toed ungulate mammal of the rhinoceros family. Its size rivals the gigantic size of the ancestors of the Pleistocene rhinoceros Elasmotherium.
There are two types of white rhinoceros: the southern white rhinoceros and the northern white rhinoceros. It is easy to understand what part of Africa they live in.
6. Largest Seal: Southern Elephant Seal (3 to 4 tons)
Instantly recognizable by its large inflatable proboscis, it is the largest seal among the others. Males can weigh 8-10 times more than females, making them the most sexually dimorphic of all mammals.
Females do not have a proboscis but rather a short nose and muzzle. Both sexes have strong bodies, thick necks and broad heads, and each fin is tipped with a large black nail.
7. Largest bear: white polar bear (1 ton)
The Kodiak brown bear, which lives in Alaska, is smaller in size, although there is still a controversial question: which of them is larger. Polar bears are carnivores, eating mainly seals and fish. Due to expected habitat loss caused by climate change, it is classified as endangered species.
For decades, large-scale hunting has raised international concerns about the gradual extinction of these bears.
8. Largest Siren: West Indian Manatee (600 to 700 kg)
Despite their size and short snout, manatees are cute and cuddly to many ocean creatures. All three species of manatees—Amazon manatees, Indian manatees, and West African manatees—are identified as at high risk extinction in the wild.
It is associated with a variety of threats, including boat strikes, hunting, and habitat destruction.
9. Largest zebra: Grevy's zebra (350 to 430 kg)
It is the very first zebra species to evolve after donkeys. She is tall, with narrower stripes, a white belly, a black dorsal stripe, large rounded ears and a brown muzzle. Well adapted to semi-arid and arid habitats.
Lives in semi-desert grasslands, where it feeds on cereals and legumes and can live up to five days without water. They are original in that they make many sounds: wheezing, whistling when alarmed.
10. Largest Pig: Giant Forest Pig (130 to 275 kg)
The largest of the African pigs, it has a huge elongated head, a heavy body and rather long legs. Its muzzle is wide, and there are swollen glands on the skin under the eyes and across the cheeks.
Males are larger and heavier than females. These large, fearsome members of the pig family can fight wild boars using their tusks for devastating effect.
Despite this, the forest pig is relatively gentle. She is easily tamed, domesticated, and can live next to people. It is mainly a herbivore.
Some sea creatures are much larger than land animals. In this material we will look at the ten largest animals in size and weight that live in the world's oceans.
The length of an adult walrus is 4 m, and its body weight exceeds 2 tons. A distinctive feature of walruses is their huge, elongated upper fangs, which are called tusks. The tusks reach 1 m in length and are used by walruses during battles for females, as well as to facilitate climbing onto ice floes. Because of these tusks, walruses were given a scientific name, translated from Greek which means “walking on teeth.”
Despite their menacing appearance, walruses are very shy animals. While resting on land, they post sentries who closely monitor the situation and warn the entire herd of the danger. They are very sociable and constantly supporting each other animals. After the mating fever, when males can fight for the right to mate with a female, they all raise the young together and help with feeding.
Walruses live in the north, making rookeries on pack ice.
A huge seal, growing up to 6.5 m in length and reaching a weight of more than 4 tons. The elephant seal got its name from its trunk-shaped nose. The male elephant seal is distinguished by extremely aggressive behavior during the mating season, when, for the sake of mating, he is ready to trample and tear apart other rivals, not paying attention to anything. By gathering in groups and sorting out relationships among themselves, elephant seals can easily crush young calves or females, which are significantly smaller than males. Every year, during the mating period, a significant number of young animals die from strangulation and strangulation, and males die from wounds received earlier than from natural death.
Elephant seals live on the west coast of North America and Antarctica. The Antarctic (southern) elephant seal is significantly larger than its northern counterpart.
8. Saltwater crocodile
- not exactly a sea animal. It lives in the swamps and mangroves of the tropical region, but can sometimes travel by sea, covering distances of 600 km or more. Therefore, it can be seen, for example, off the coast of Japan, although it has never lived there and does not live there. The reasons for such long migrations are not fully known. According to some assumptions, saltwater crocodiles, which are solitary by nature, seek more secluded habitats; according to others, they seek regions richer in food. But whatever the reason, such guests in sea bays and bays terrify not only local residents, but also local predators. The crocodile easily displaces even sharks from their favorite coastal areas, which simply retreat, unable to do anything to oppose the impenetrable armor of the reptile.
This crocodile is the only reptile that grows more than 5 m in length. Adult saltwater crocodiles grow up to 7 m in length and reach a mass of 2 tons.
Adult killer whales are large marine predators. In captivity in aquariums we do not see record-breaking specimens, but in nature their length reaches 10 m and their weight exceeds 8 tons. Every day, adult killer whales require up to 150 kg. meat, and in search of it they spend most of their lives, attacking all living things that can satisfy their hunger. The killer whale has the nickname “killer whale” for a reason - it is the largest carnivore on the planet. They are at the top of the food chain, preying on others and large fish.
Killer whales are extremely intelligent animals. They make perfect use of their group skills when hunting. Cases of attacks on walruses and fur seals that tried to hide on a lonely ice floe are well known and documented. Accelerating towards the ice floe, they raise a high wave, which washes the poor victim into the water, where she is not destined to escape. Killer whales are also the only marine predators that can jump ashore and grab fur seals, their favorite prey.
Killer whales live everywhere, but prefer the cool waters of the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. Most often they stay in the coastal strip.
Humpback whales grow up to 15 m, and the maximum recorded length was 18 m. Weight - 30 tons. It would seem that it should have a characteristic hump, but the main distinguishing feature of the humpback whale is its long pectoral fins and huge “warts” on its snout. The length of the fins can reach 34% of the body length. They play an important role in the life of the animal - they participate in thermoregulation, increase maneuverability and help in hunting. Humpback whales often hunt in groups, diving under a school of fish and surrounding it with small air bubbles. Surrounded by such a wall of bubbles, the fish gets lost and huddles into a dense lump, which is swallowed by humpback whales that suddenly appear from the depths.
The buckles of humpback whales and their striking of the surface with their tail and fins are known. They are even capable of jumping completely out of the water.
Humpback whales live throughout the world's oceans. They often approach the banks to feed.
It grows up to 20 m in length and reaches a weight of 30 tons. It is a slender whale and can reach speeds of 50 km/h. (according to other sources, its maximum speed is 25 km/h) in contrast to its “fat” relatives. The sei whale dives well, diving to a depth of up to 300 m and remaining under water for up to 20 minutes.
Sei whale was the most important commercial fishery after man practically destroyed the blue whale and fin whale. Currently, fishing for this whale is completely prohibited.
The sei whale lives in all oceans, preferring warm tropical waters.
The weight of an adult sperm whale reaches 50 tons, and its body length is 20 m. This is the largest representative of toothed whales - unlike baleen whales, they have teeth and hunt fish, cephalopods and, in rare cases, other marine mammals. The sperm whale is known for its huge head, which takes up 35% of its body length. The word “sperm whale” itself comes from “ cachola", which means "big head". On a huge head, the whale's mouth looks small, but this appearance is deceiving. One of his teeth weighs 1 kg.
The whale lives in all oceans, but avoids cold areas. It stays far from the shore, where there is great depth and their favorite prey lives - squid. The sperm whale also hunts huge giant squid. Fights with them “reward” the whale with characteristic scars from the suckers of these mollusks.
The record length of the bowhead whale was 22 m and its weight was 150 tons. This weight is comparable to the weight of the animal that took first place in our top list, but it is seriously inferior to it in length. But the bowhead whale holds the record for life expectancy. With an average life expectancy of 40 years, according to some scientists, this whale can live up to 211 years. Among vertebrates, this is an absolute record, although it was recently discovered that the polar shark lives even longer - up to an unimaginable 512 years.
The bowhead whale spends its entire life in the cold polar waters of the Northern Hemisphere, retreating south from the growing ice in the winter and returning back in the spring. If a whale becomes trapped in ice, it breaks it with its huge body.
Adult individuals reach a length of 27 m and a weight of more than 70 tons. These giants have chosen the open ocean, rarely approaching the shores. They prefer solitude, although sometimes small groups of 4-6 whales are found. Despite their enormous length, fin whales are quite flexible and “slender”. They swim faster and dive deeper than many other cetaceans. The maximum recorded speed of the fin whale is 50 km/h, and its diving depth exceeds 250 m. Its speed allows it to feed not only on stationary krill, but also on small schooling fish.
After uncontrolled fishing for fin whales in the middle of the 20th century. The hunting of this whale was completely prohibited. In 2006, Iceland again allowed hunting for it. The current estimate of the number of fin whales is 50-55 thousand individuals.
Not only the largest modern animal, but also the largest that has ever lived on our planet. The maximum length of this giant is 33 meters, and its weight can exceed 150 tons. They live 80-90 years, and the oldest known blue whale was 110 years old. Like other cetaceans, it feeds exclusively on plankton, consuming 1 ton of it every day.
Uncontrolled fishing for the blue whale has almost completely destroyed it. In the 1960s, its population was estimated at only 5,000 individuals. Timely measures taken to protect the whale have yielded results and scientists currently estimate the number at 10,000 animals, which is already enough not to worry about the safety of the species.
The blue whale lives throughout the world's oceans.
We all know well that the largest animals, or giant animals, lived on our Earth millions of years ago - these are various dinosaurs, mammoths, terrible birds and many, many other prehistoric animals. Their gigantic size and appearance seem stunning to us today.
But even today our world is full of the most amazing creatures that amaze with their shapes and sizes. It’s even hard to imagine what could have influenced their height and weight, but they are who they are, the main thing is that they feel quite comfortable among us. What kind of animals are these, and in what natural conditions do they live? We’ll talk about this today. The rating is based on the weight, height and also length of the animals.
1 place. Blue or blue whale
The largest living animal on Earth is the blue or blue whale (lat. Balaenoptera musculus). Even dinosaurs cannot compete with him - his size is impressive. This marine mammal grows up to 30 meters in length, can weigh more than 180 tons, even the tongue of this giant weighs about 2.7 tons (the size of a medium-sized Asian elephant). The blue whale's heart weighs about 600 kilograms - it is the largest heart in the world.
The huge lungs of the blue whale (the volume of which is 3 thousand liters) allow it to remain at a depth without oxygen for about 20 minutes. The maximum speed developed by this mammal is about 35 km/h, and the fountain it produces when reaching the surface is up to 10 m.
2nd place. Sperm whale
The next representative is (lat. Physeter catodon) is the only representative of the sperm whale family today. It is the largest among toothed whales. The male sperm whale grows up to 20 m in length, and weighs up to 50 tons. Females are less impressive in size - from 11 to 13 m, and weigh about 15 tons.
Interestingly, the head of an adult makes up approximately 35% of the total body length. There are sperm whales of larger sizes, but this is rather the exception. In nature, sperm whales have practically no enemies. The exception is killer whales, which attack females and calves; they cannot compete with an adult male.
3rd place. African elephant
African elephant (lat. Loxodonta africana) is the largest land animal living on earth. Includes two types - and. It occupies an honorable third place in this ranking. With a height of 3 to 3.5 meters and a body length of 6-7.5 m, the mass of these animals can reach up to 6, or even 12 tons. Female African elephants are smaller than males: they grow up to 2.7 meters in height and 5.4-6.9 m in length.
Despite its impressive size, it can move at a speed of 35-40 km/h (it can easily overtake a person). He can eat 300 kg of plant food per day. Due to its enormous mass, it sleeps standing up. A very smart animal that is capable of mutual assistance and compassion. But, despite this, it is one of the most dangerous animals on the planet.
4th place. Indian elephant
Indian or Asian elephant (lat. Elephas maximum) is the second largest land animal after the African elephant. The height can reach 2.5-3.5 m, the length of its body is about 5.5-6 m, and this elephant’s tail is not short - 1-1.5 m. This elephant can weigh from 5 to 5.5 tons . Females, just like African elephants, are much smaller.
These elephants are forest dwellers. They prefer light tropical and subtropical broad-leaved forests with dense undergrowth, which consists of shrubs and bamboo. They move easily through dense forests and swampy areas. They live in groups led by the oldest and most experienced female.
5th place. Southern elephant seal
Southern elephant seal (lat. Mirounga leonina) – considered the largest pinniped in the world. These large and corpulent animals can grow up to 6 m in length and weigh up to 4-5 tons.
They can stay under water for about 2 hours (an officially registered record), and dive to a depth of more than 1300 meters. They spend their entire lives in the ocean, and rarely come to land - mainly during the breeding season.
6th place. Hippopotamus or hippopotamus
Hippopotamus (lat. Hippopotamus amphibius) is a mammal from the order Artiodactyla and the suborder Porciniformes. Native to Africa.
Hippos can reach up to 1.5-1.65 meters, their body length can be from 3 to 5 meters, and their weight can be 3 tons or more. These animals increase their mass throughout their lives, their teeth also grow throughout their lives and can reach 0.5 m in length. Interestingly, the skin alone weighs 0.5 tons.
7th place. White rhinoceros
White rhinoceros (lat. Ceratotherium simum) – the 2nd largest herbivore on the planet. Adults grow in height - up to 1.6-2 m, in length - about 3.8-4.2 m.
The average weight of a white rhinoceros is about 3 tons; there are individuals much larger - about 8 tons. Interestingly, the white rhinoceros is not white at all, but rather gray. It probably received this name from a distorted Boer word “wijde”, which means “wide-faced” - consonant with the English word “white” (Russian white).
8th place. Walrus
Walruses (lat. Odobenus rosmarus) is one of the ancient large animals that have existed since the last ice age. Fossils found in San Francisco Bay date back approximately 28,000 years.
And even now these giants grow up to 3 m in length and weigh up to 2 tons, the thickness of the skin (on the neck and shoulders of males) is up to 10 cm, and the layer of fat is up to 15 cm. Large ones are perfectly adapted for life in the harsh conditions of the Arctic. They feed mainly on shellfish, but can also eat fish.
9th place. Black rhinoceros
Black rhinoceros (lat. Rhinoceros bicornis) – slightly finer than white. The weight of this animal does not exceed 1.5-2 tons, the body length is about 3-3.5 meters, the height at the shoulders is 1.5-1.6 m. Their habit of moving along the same paths and poor eyesight makes them vulnerable and defenseless against poachers.
The black rhinoceros has no natural enemies, so it is not at all timid and because of this it automatically becomes an easy trophy for hunters. Interestingly, the body of the black rhinoceros is more elongated in length and it is lighter than the white one.
10th place. Saltwater crocodile
Saltwater, or saltwater crocodile (lat. Crocodylus porosus) is the largest and most massive reptile on the planet. The saltwater crocodile can grow up to 5.5-7 meters (usually 5 m) in length, the weight of an adult (male) is from 409 kg to 1.5 tons.
Interesting fact: it has a high commercial value because of its skin, from which various types of clothing, shoes, etc. are made. It is hunted and bred on crocodile farms.
Modern species of animals are absolutely not inferior in size to prehistoric animals, but if people do not treat wild nature with due respect, then they will all become extinct just like those that lived millions of years ago.
Our planet is inhabited by an endless variety of living creatures that differ from each other in weight, size and habitat. Some representatives of one species or another inspire genuine delight with their incredible size. Giant creatures truly arouse special interest not only among scientists, but also among ordinary people. Who are these animals and what sizes do they reach later in the article.
At the end of the article we have prepared a surprise 🎁 - an exciting test to test your attentiveness 😃
Modern giant animals
A representative of an arthropod species. The span of its paws reaches 4 meters, and its weight is 20 kg. The spider crab lives at a depth of 400 - 500 meters, rising higher only to reproduce. They leave their larvae in shallow water - about one and a half million, but a maximum of 10 - 15% of them survive. The lifespan of the Japanese crab exceeds 100 years.
Of the currently living flying birds, the pelican is recognized as the largest. With a length of 180 cm and a weight of 15 kg. The pelican has an interesting plumage - like white curls. But the bird’s special feature is its very long beak. With such a beak, it is easy for a pelican to catch fish, but the bird spends most of its time with its head resting on its shoulders due to the heavy load on its neck.
But among flightless birds, the ostrich takes honorable first place. With its heaviness - up to 156 kg, the ostrich is considered the fastest biped on earth - it is capable of reaching speeds of up to 97 km/h. The ostrich has very long legs and neck. Information about the primitiveness of this bird is not made up. The brain size is comparable to a walnut, which causes a low level of intelligence.
Anaconda and Reticulated Python
These two representatives of the world fauna are placed in the same place for the following reasons: the python is longer than the anaconda, but inferior in weight. For comparison, the maximum recorded length of an anaconda is 7.5 meters, and that of a python is 9.5 meters.
Common sunfish
This is the name given to marine bony fish, which have left their relatives far behind in size. The average individual weighs 1 ton and grows up to 2.5 meters wide. This sea animal received its name because of the unusual shape of its body - round, with torn edges.
This huge rodent, weighing 105 kilograms, can grow up to 1.35 meters in length and up to 60cm in height. Funny heavy animals lead a semi-aquatic lifestyle and look like guinea pigs. There is an opinion that capybaras are the kindest creatures on the planet and one cannot but agree with this. Although they do not cause affection, they get along well not only with people, but also with pets - dogs, cats.
Kalong or giant flying fox
A member of the fruit bat family. It might remind the average person of a bat. But this is only due to the method of attachment to the branches. The kalong's muzzle is very similar to a dog or fox. Kalongs feed on fruits and usually surround plantations in flocks, causing damage to agriculture. The wingspan reaches one and a half meters.
Flanders
Descendant of the Patagonian hare. The breed was developed in the late 17th century in Belgium and is still used for both livestock and domestic use. The Guinness Book of Records records the largest representative of this breed. Its weight is 12 kg. The average individual grows to 8–9 kg. Due to its size, the hare looks awkward and disproportionate, which seems quite cute. Flanders are often kept as pets.
Chinese giant salamander
Amphibians are considered an endangered species because they can only live in clean water. The deteriorating environmental situation in the world has a detrimental effect on the population of Chinese salamanders. Research by scientists gives a sad forecast - in the 21st century, these unique animals, reaching 180 cm in length, will completely disappear from the earth.
Coastal predator. 7 meters long and weighing up to 2 tons, the crocodile literally becomes a deadly carnivorous machine for unwary animals. In addition, saltwater crocodiles are able to trace animal behavior, such as migration routes, and also develop complex behavioral traits. Therefore, crocodiles become an object of cult among many peoples, causing trembling fear.
The subspecies of the seal family is distinguished by its enormous weight - up to 5 tons, and length: females - up to 3.5 meters, males - up to 6.5 meters. Large creatures can dive to sea depths of 1,400 meters for prey - fish and cephalopods. The seal is constantly in the water, even in its sleep.
Polar bear
The largest land omnivorous predator that inhabits the earth in our time. The largest predatory animal weighs 1 ton. Male individuals usually weigh at least 500 kg. It mainly feeds on marine animals, which it catches from under the ice.
Giraffe
The tallest mammal on the planet. Weighing 1 ton, an adult male giraffe reaches 6 meters in height. Representatives of this species are widespread in Africa. They are exclusively herbivores, and this growth allows them to forage for food in trees. The giraffe seems to be leisurely, but this is a myth. These mammals are capable of moving at a speed of 55 km/h, and over short distances they can easily leave a racehorse behind. Due to its long legs, the giraffe can only walk on hard surfaces, so ponds or swampy areas are a restricted area for it.
Savannah elephant
The largest land animal. The recorded weight record is 12.2 tons. The diet of the savannah elephant is exclusively plant-based. It is noteworthy that an adult male needs to eat up to 300 kg of leaves and grass per day. They prefer a nomadic lifestyle. The most experienced female becomes the leader of the herd. Males in the herd remain until sexual maturity. At maturity, African elephants move into bachelor herds. And then they prefer a solitary lifestyle. In search of food, an adult elephant can walk up to 12 kilometers a day.
The largest animal in the world and it is also the largest mammal. The inhabitant of the oceans is ubiquitous. Its gigantic dimensions are amazing: a mass of 150 tons and a length of up to 33 meters. It is not surprising that even photographs are not able to fully convey the greatness of this creature. The blue whale feeds on plankton and rarely leaves the coastal zone.
Prehistoric giants
Thanks to archaeological excavations, paleontologists have been able to provide information about giant individuals that lived millions of years ago. The next selection is just about these creatures.
This dinosaur is considered the largest animal in the world, living 150 million years ago BC. It reached 48 meters, which is much larger than the size of the living leader of the giants - the blue whale. Archaeologists have only been able to excavate and identify parts of the spine of this majestic reptile. Currently, the existence of this species is questioned, so archaeological excavations are planned to be resumed.
The progenitor of modern boas is much longer - up to 13 meters and weighing 1 ton. Lived 60 million years ago.
An apex predator shark that lives in the ocean. Only the tooth of this 48-ton monster would hardly fit in the hands of a person. It is believed that the megalodon's jaws could bite through food weighing 10 tons.
