In this article, we invite you on a fascinating tour through the list of the 25 largest living creatures on Earth, ranging from giants by microworld standards - viruses, bacteria and amoebas to the largest invertebrates, insects, amphibians, birds, reptiles, fish, mammals, plants and mushrooms
1. The largest known virus (1.5 microns in length)
One can argue for a long time whether viruses are actually living organisms - some biologists say yes, others are not so sure. However, there is no doubt that Pithovirus a real giant among viruses known to science (about 1.5 microns in length), 50 percent larger than the nearest record holder - Pandoravirus. You might think that a pathogen the size of Pithovirus capable of infecting large animals such as elephants, hippos or even humans. But don’t worry, the virus only infects amoebas, which are not much larger than itself.
2. The world's largest bacterium (more than 0.5 mm in length)
Thiomargarita namibiensis- translated in Latin means “Namibian sulfur pearl”. The bacterium received this name because of the sulfur granules included in the cytoplasm, giving it a shiny appearance. Size thiomargarita namibiensis is more than half a millimeter wide, which makes it possible to see it with the naked eye. Thiomargarita namibiensis absolutely harmless to people and animals, as it is a lithotroph (organisms that use inorganic substances as oxidizable substrates (electron donors)).
3. The largest amoeba on the planet (3 mm in length)
The largest amoeba belongs to the genus "Chaos". Of course, it is much smaller than the monstrous amoebas from comic books and science fiction films. But still, this is a real giant among amoebas, which is easy to see with the naked eye. Another feature of the world's largest amoeba is the ability to digest small multicellular organisms, bacteria and protists.
4. The heaviest beetle (85-110 g)
Despite the fact that the goliath is not the longest beetle in the world, nevertheless, given their mass (some individuals weigh more than 100 g), they certainly live up to their name. The Goliath beetle is comparable in weight and size to an adult gerbil mouse, as you have already seen by looking at the photo above.
5. The largest spider (body weight up to 175 g)
Theraphosa Blonda or Goliath tarantula - largest spider world, originally from tropical forests South America. Taking into account the legs, the body length of the goliath tarantula can reach up to 28 cm, and its weight can reach up to 175 g. The lifespan of female giant spiders in the wild is up to 25 years, and sexual maturity occurs at 3 years. Males are less fortunate, despite the fact that they are not eaten by the female after mating, like other species of spiders, their life expectancy is much shorter - from 3 to 6 years.
6. The largest worm (average length 60-90 cm)
If you have a strong aversion to worms, you may be alarmed by the fact that there are more than half a dozen species giant worms- the largest of which is the African giant worm, up to 1.5 m long. Despite the size being comparable to the average snake, giant earthworms are as harmless as their smaller counterparts. They like to burrow deep in the dirt, staying away from people (and other animals), quietly eating rotten leaves and other decaying organic matter.
7. The largest amphibian (body weight up to 3 kg)
"Goliath" is a popular name for the largest fauna of its kind (see points No. 4 and No. 5). The Goliath frog lives in west-central Africa. Average weight Goliath frogs are about 2.5 kg, which is much less than the mass Beelzebufo ampinga(about 5 kg) is the largest frog that lived on Earth during the Late Cretaceous period.
8. The largest arthropod animal (3-4 m including legs)
The Japanese spider crab is truly a huge and extremely long-legged animal. The front legs of this representative of arthropods reach a length of up to 2 m, and the body up to 45 cm. The variegated, orange-white color of the exoskeleton serves as an excellent camouflage from large sea predators. Like most others strange creatures, Japanese spider crab is a prized delicacy in Japan, but in Lately, are rarely found on restaurant menus due to pressure from conservationists.
9. Largest flowering plant (diameter up to 1 m)
Luckily for us all, Rafflesia Arnold's habitat is limited to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. You definitely won't find it in your neighbor's garden. :)
10. The largest sponge on the planet (up to 2 m in diameter)
Except that the giant sea sponge (Xestospongia muta) The largest of its kind, it holds the record for longest life expectancy among invertebrate animals, some individuals live more than 1000 years. Like other types of sponges, xestospongia muta feeds by filtering small organisms from sea water.
11. The largest jellyfish (up to 37 m in length)
With a dome diameter of about 2 m and tentacles more than 30 m, the length of the hairy cyanea is comparable to the blue whale (see point No. 22). Despite such gigantic sizes, the tentacles of these jellyfish do not pose a mortal danger to humans (only painful sensations and skin rash). Hairy cyanea also performs an important ecological function by providing various types fish and crustaceans shelter under a huge dome.
An interesting fact is that hairy cyanides are a favorite source of food for another giant on this list - the leatherback turtle (see point No. 17)
12. The largest flying bird (adult males weigh up to 20 kg)
Considering the huge (by bird standards) body weight - up to 20 kg, the African great bustard goes against the laws of aerodynamics. It is not the most graceful bird in the world when it comes to flight. In fact, the African Great Bustard spends much of its life on land in southern Africa, cackling loudly and eating almost anything that moves. She uses flight only in cases of extreme danger.
In this respect, the African great bustard is no different from the even larger pterosaurs - the flying reptiles of the Mesozoic era.
13. The largest representative of protists (more than 45 m in length)
Many people mistakenly believe that there are only four categories of life - bacteria, plants, fungi and animals - but don't forget about primitive eukaryotic organisms such as chromists. You may be surprised by the fact that all algae are protists. The largest representative of protists is Macrocystis pyrifera- a type of brown algae from the kelp family, which is capable of growing more than 45 m in length, providing a reliable shelter for many marine organisms.
14. The largest non-flying bird (up to 270 cm in height and weighing up to 156 kg)
If we take it globally, the ostrich is not only the largest non-flying bird, but also the most big bird of those currently living on Earth. The maximum recorded height of an ostrich is 2.7 m and its weight is 156 kg. It may seem incredible, but relatively recently (about 200-300 years ago) on the island of Madagascar, there lived a species of bird - the Madagascan apiornis, in comparison with which an ostrich would seem like a chicken. These birds could reach 3-5 m in height and up to 500 kg in weight, which is comparable to the size of birds of the genus Dromornis, which lived on the planet during the late Miocene.
15. The largest snake (weight - 97.5 kg)
Compared to other organisms on this list, classifying snakes by size is significantly more difficult. Even professional naturalists tend to overestimate the size of snakes they observe in the wild because, large specimens for detailed study is practically impossible. At the same time, most scientists agree that the anaconda is the largest snake on the planet. The largest anaconda caught was 521 cm long and weighed 97.5 kg.
16. The largest representative of bivalve mollusks (more than 200 kg)
The giant tridacna is the most great view from the class bivalve molluscs, found in the waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The maximum weight of the giant clam is more than 200 kg, and the length of the shell can exceed 1 m. Despite its formidable reputation, the giant clam closes its shell only in cases of danger, and its size is not enough to swallow an adult.
17. The largest turtle (weighing more than 500 kg)
The leatherback turtle is a large species of sea turtle that lives in tropical latitudes. These turtles are strikingly different from their relatives. The leatherback turtle's shell is made up of small bony plates and is not attached to the skeleton like other species. In addition to the body structure, distinctive feature Leatherback turtles are their giant size- weight adult may exceed 500 kg.
18. The largest reptile (weight up to 1000 kg)
By dinosaur standards, when the largest reptile weighed 100 tons, the saltwater crocodile was just a small lizard. However, in the world of modern reptiles, these crocodiles are real giants. The body length of an adult saltwater crocodile varies from 3.5 to 6 m, and weight from 200 to 1000 kg.
19. Largest fish (maximum weight 2235 kg)
The peculiar appearance of the common sunfish makes it one of the strangest inhabitants of the ocean. But these fish are known not only for their eccentric appearance, but also for their gigantic size. The record caught specimen of the common sunfish had a length of 4.26 m and a mass of 2235 kg.
20. Largest land mammal (average weight 5 tons)
A mammal from the genus of African elephants, as well as the largest land animal. The average weight of a female is 3 tons, and a male is 6 tons. Adult savannah elephant, is capable of eating about 200 kg of vegetation daily and drinking up to 200 liters of water.
21. The largest shark (more than 12 m in length)
Oddly enough, the largest animals in the world's oceans usually feed on microscopic organisms. Like the blue whale (see next point), the whale shark's diet mainly consists of plankton, small squid and fish. As for the size of the whale shark, it is not possible to give exact figures. Exists various sources, claiming to have caught giant specimens over 20 m in length and weighing up to 40 tons. Considering the tendency of many fishermen to exaggerate, one cannot be 100% confident in these data. Apparently, the more realistic size of a whale shark is 12-14 m in length.
22. The largest sea animal (200 tons)
In fact, blue whale not only the largest sea animal, but also, apparently, the largest animal in the history of life on Earth, dinosaurs or other reptiles weighing 200 tons are not yet known to science. Like the whale shark (see. previous point), the blue whale feeds on microscopic plankton, filtering countless gallons of seawater through dense baleen plates. Natural scientists estimate that an adult blue whale consumes 3-4 tons of krill every day.
23. Largest mushroom (600 tons)
Perhaps, in your understanding, the most big mushroom has a leg as thick as a pillar and a hat the size of the roof of a house, but in reality everything looks different. The record holder mushroom, or rather a colony of mushrooms that has a common mycelium and functions as a single organism, is located in the forests of Oregon, USA and belongs to the genus of honey fungus. The colony covers an area of 2,000 acres and has a total mass of about 600 tons. The age of the giant mushroom, according to botanists, is more than 2,400 years.
24. Largest single tree (about 1000 tons)
The giant sequoia is a tree of truly gigantic size. The height of the giant sequoia trunk reaches 100 m, with a diameter of 10-12 m, and the estimated mass of the largest trees is about 1000 tons. They are also among the most ancient organisms on the planet; the rings of one tree in the Northwestern United States indicated an age of 3500 years.
25. Largest tree colony (6000 tons)
Like the mushroom colony (see point 23), the largest colony of aspen poplar "Pando", located in Utah, USA, has a common root system and the same genes. Simply put, all the trees in the colony are clones, descended from a common ancestor about 80,000 years ago. Unfortunately, Pando is currently in poor condition, slowly dying from drought, disease and insect infestation. Botanists are desperate to solve the problem, so hopefully this colony can thrive for at least another 80,000 years.
People tend to experience inexplicable delight at the sight of everything huge. Animals are no exception: elephants, whales and other giants of the fauna world invariably attract our attention and fascinate. But we will not talk about them here, but about the most outstanding representatives of the animal world, belonging to species that are not usually associated with particularly impressive sizes. So outstanding that it is difficult to believe in the real existence of some of them on our planet.
1. Goliath tarantula spider. What do we know about spiders? They are small, sometimes poisonous creatures with 8 legs that spin webs. They eat flies, which in turn are eaten by lizards and birds. But not always... In front of you is the Goliath tarantula (or Blonde's Theraphosa) - the most big spider in the world. It lives in the Amazon jungle and hunts frogs, toads, lizards, mice and even small snakes. It can weigh 175 grams with a limb span of up to 28 cm. But, despite its name, it does not eat birds.
2. Zeus is the tallest dog in the world, according to the 2013 Guinness Book of Records. If Zeus stood on his hind legs, his height was more than 2 meters. The Great Dane's owners called him a gentle giant and said they were often asked if they were sure it was a dog and not a horse. Zeus was a certified therapy dog and loved to sit on his “patients” laps to make them smile. However, due to the weight of 70 kg, these smiles sometimes turned into grimaces. Unfortunately, Zeus is no longer with us, he did not live only 3 days before his sixth birthday.
3. Giant African snail. It's easy to imagine that the giant African snail must be large. It’s not called giant for nothing. But so much so?.. This palm-sized monster lives not only in Africa and, distinguished by its robust appetite and high reproduction rate, poses a serious threat agriculture.
4. Darius is the largest rabbit in the world. This, if I may say so, bunny weighs 22.5 kg and exceeds 130 cm in length. By the way, he has a son named Jeff, who is still growing, but is already catching up in size with his dad. It costs their kind-hearted owner, 63-year-old Annette Edwards, £5,000 a year to keep the couple.
5. Chinese giant salamander. This thing is the largest modern amphibian; its length, including its tail, can reach 180 cm. Despite its creepy appearance, the Chinese happily eat their gigantic salamanders, so how much they still have left is unknown. But don’t despair, because there is also a Japanese giant salamander, a little smaller.
6. Ludo is the longest cat in the world. Maine Coons are known to be quite large and fluffy cats. But Ludo is not your average Maine Coon. Already at 17 months he weighed more than 11 kg and exceeded 110 cm in length. At the same time, according to his owners, who are themselves shocked by the size of their pet, he eats even less than their other cats. Maine Coons are considered to be very friendly. Would you dare to pet a cat the size of a dog?
7. Goliath frog. If you're afraid of frogs, you'll want to stay away from Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, where this monster lives. Goliath is the largest living frog. The length of its body can reach 30 cm, and even more with outstretched legs. Otherwise, it differs little from the most common frogs; its tadpoles at birth do not have outstanding sizes. They are just growing very actively.
8. Big Jake is the biggest horse in the world. In principle, horses can hardly be called small animals, but even among them there are particularly outstanding individuals. The official height of this Belgian gelding is 210.2 cm, and he weighs more than a ton. Already at birth, he weighed over 100 kg - much more than the average foals of his breed. Big Jake lives on a farm in Wisconsin, works in harness and has quite a following.
9. Liger Hercules. A liger is a hybrid of a male lion and a tigress. And it not only exists, but sometimes reaches colossal proportions. Hercules was registered in the 2006 Guinness Book of Records as the largest feline living on earth. Standing on his hind legs, Hercules is 3.7 meters tall and weighs more than 400 kg. He was born at the Endangered and Rare Species Institute in Miami, Florida, lives at the Florida interactive theme park Jungle Island, and participates in Tiger's Tale every day.
10. Japanese spider crab. This giant, reaching 19 kg in weight and a claw span of 5.5 meters, belongs not on a gourmet’s plate, but on the set of a horror film, you might think, and you’ll be wrong. In Japan, it is considered a delicacy and is actively fished, which leads to a sharp decline in the population. Currently, measures are already being taken to preserve the largest arthropod on earth.
11. Blossom is the tallest cow in the world. Blossom was lucky enough to get into the Guinness Book of Records twice. In 2015, she was recognized as the tallest living cow, but, unfortunately, she did not live long after that. This sad event upset the representatives of the Book of Records so much that the next year they decided to enter it again, this time as the tallest cow in history. This beauty of the Holstein breed was 190 cm tall and weighed close to a ton.
12. Stingray. This monster was caught by American wildlife TV star Jeff Corwin in the Mai Klong River in Thailand. The stingray, weighing more than 360 kg, was recognized as the largest stingray, and possibly the largest freshwater fish ever caught in the world.
13. Jellyfish is the longest snake in the world, another Guinness Book of record holder. Length reticulated python named Madame Medusa is over 7.5 meters. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri, belongs to the entertainment group Full Moon Productions and regularly performs in shows for the thrill-seeking crowd. Madame's menu consists of rabbits and piglets, and every 2 weeks she is served a whole deer for dinner. When Medusa is in a good mood, she purrs like a cat. But if it starts to hiss, it’s better to run away quickly, Madame is angry.
14. Lolong is the world's largest saltwater crocodile. Unlike other good-natured giants on this list, Lolong was not only impressive in size, but also aggressive disposition. In September 2011, a huge crocodile suspected of attacking people was caught near the town of Bunawan, Agusan del Sur province in the Philippines. This required the joint efforts of the authorities, the local population and crocodile hunters, three weeks of continuous hunting and 100 people to pull the animal ashore. What they eventually managed to catch was a 50-year-old saltwater crocodile, 6.17 meters long and weighing just over a ton. Lolong was settled in an eco-park 8 km from Bunawan, where he became a local celebrity and brought in a good income until he died two years later, according to one version, from pneumonia aggravated by stress.
15. Big Bill is the biggest pig in the world. Big Bill set his record back in 1933. But since then, not a single pig has been able to come close to the impressive figures of this giant from Tennessee - weight 1157.5 kg, height 150 cm and length 275 cm.
The largest animal on Earth. Its body length can reach 33 meters and weighs almost 150 tons. Of course, you can say that a whale is a fish and you would be wrong. In fact, it belongs to the class of mammals.
The blue whale was first described by Scottish naturalist Robert Sibbald in 1964. The animal has a slender and elongated body, with the head making up a third of its entire length. If you look at the head from above, it has a U-shaped outline, and in profile it is slightly flattened. The lower jaw is elongated and wide, much wider than the upper.
The blowhole is formed by two nostrils and is located at the back of the head. When the animal exhales air, a vertical fountain appears from a narrow hole, the height of which can reach 10 meters. The animal also has longitudinal stripes that begin at the bottom of the head and continue throughout almost the entire body. They, firstly, improve the hydrodynamic properties of the body, and secondly, they help the pharynx to stretch more strongly when swallowing water with food.
The largest specimen ever captured was a female blue whale, which was killed by whalers in 1926 near the South Shetland Islands. The length of her body was 33 meters, but her weight is unknown - they simply did not weigh her. Although, as experts say, it probably weighed no less than 150 tons. By the way, there are larger specimens, for example, fishermen once saw a 37-meter whale, but due to the lack of necessary equipment they could not catch it.
White rhinoceros
In third place is the white rhinoceros - the weight of old males can reach more than 5 tons (average - 2-2.5 tons), and body length - more than 4 meters. However, in nature such specimens are relatively rare. By the way, it is still unclear where the word “white” came from in the name, since there is nothing white in the animal. In fact, its body color is dark gray. There are always two horns growing on the head, the first of which is always longer than the second (the officially registered record is 158 centimeters).
There have always been two areas where these animals lived - South Africa and one of its northern sides, which is near South Sudan and the Republic of the Congo. However, the northern subspecies was completely exterminated by poachers - if in the 60s of the last century there were about two thousand heads here, then by 2008 the last of them were killed. In total there are now about 11 thousand copies, which is slightly more than 20 years ago, but they are all in South Africa. In general, at the end of the 19th century this species was considered almost extinct, but taken into care in time, it is now out of danger of extinction.
Typically, rhinoceroses stay in small groups, and in them you can most often find females with cubs. Sometimes they are ready to accept a male, but only if he does not attempt to mate. Otherwise, he is expelled from the group, and in some cases may even be killed. Males show strong aggression towards other males, so they periodically kill each other in fights. If the group senses danger, it takes a defensive position: adults stand in a circle with their heads outward, covering their defenseless cubs.
As for reproduction, this issue has been little studied. It is believed that sexual maturity in rhinoceroses occurs at approximately 7-8 years. Pregnancy lasts about 17-18 months, after which one baby is born. On the second day, he can not only walk, but also accompanies his mother everywhere. After a week, it can begin to eat grass, although for many months it continues to feed on mother’s milk.
Animals graze only at moderate temperatures. They try not to go out into the scorching sun and take refuge in the shade of trees. It also seeks protection in rainy weather. Rhinoceroses often swim in swamps, where turtles await them - they devour the ticks that accumulate on the skin of these giants.
It is worth noting that rhinoceroses have been killed for several centuries - the reason for this is the horn, which, as many still believe, has incredible healing properties. However, at the moment hunting for them is allowed, but in extremely meager quotas. The production license is very expensive - from 100 thousand dollars.
Southern elephant seal
It is impossible not to note this unusual animal, which is a huge seal. Currently, it is the largest pinniped creature on our planet. An elephant can be up to 6 meters long and weigh more than 5 tons!
What is unusual is that males are very different from females in appearance - they have a pouch on their nose, which swells very much in individuals older than three years. The limbs are small, but they have long nails - up to 5 cm. It is noteworthy that as of today there are at least 600 thousand individuals all over the world, and this despite the fact that in the last century this animal was the object of intensive hunting.
Chinese giant salamander
The giant salamander is a very strange creature in terms of appearance and often causes unpleasant feelings. The average body length of an individual is about 170-180 cm, weight - up to 80 kg. The abdomen is grayish in color, the upper side is brownish-gray, the skin is lumpy.
The animal lives exclusively in eastern regions China, prefers cold and clean mountain reservoirs. It consumes small fish and some invertebrates as food. Unfortunately, recently the number of this species of salamander has been falling, as its places are polluted. natural habitat, and besides, it is destroyed by man. Scientists and the government are trying to find a way out of the situation.
Giraffe
The giraffe is one of the tallest mammals on our planet. In this regard, the animal has no equal.
The height of especially large males reaches more than 6 meters, and their weight is more than one ton. Females are slightly smaller in size. If you look at the neck of this giant, you simply cannot believe your eyes - how can he have only seven cervical vertebrae?! However, this is exactly the case.
It is worth noting that the giraffe also differs in other features. For example, he has a very strong heart, which is capable of passing more than 60 liters of blood through itself in just one minute. Not surprisingly, it weighs more than 12 kg. This creature also has denser and therefore thicker blood. Finally, the giraffe has a 45-centimeter long tongue that helps grasp branches.
Kodiak
This is one of the species of brown bears that lives on Kodiak Island, located off the coast of Alaska. Currently, this is one of the largest predators on our planet.
The male can reach 3.5 m in length and 1.5 m in height. This is approximately the size of a small car. Weight is about half a ton, females weigh about half as much.
The body is strong and muscular, the limbs are very strong, the head is massive, and the tail is small. If we talk about the lifestyle, it is exactly similar to what he leads Brown bear. Kodiaks feed not only on plants, berries or nuts, but also on other animals, sometimes carrion. In winter they hibernate, although not always.
Alas, total Kodiaks number no more than three thousand individuals, and more than a hundred bears are still allowed to be shot per year.
Capybara
And this is the largest of the rodents. The height of an adult individual is about 0.6 m, and the body length is up to one and a half meters. The average weight is from 40 to 60 kg, with females being larger than males, although not by much.
From the side, the capybara very much resembles an enlarged guinea pig, which is clearly visible in the photo. Found in South and Central America. Loves water - in the wild it rarely moves more than one kilometer from the water. During drought, it can travel considerable distances in search of a reservoir. The greatest activity is observed during the daytime, but often switches to a nocturnal lifestyle if predators appear in the area.
Some Americans keep capybaras as pets, and the latter don't seem to mind at all.
Ostrich
Among birds there is no equal to the ostrich. True, it should be noted that this bird is flightless and is the only representative of its family. The weight of some individuals can be up to one and a half centners, and the height - up to 2.5 m. Ostriches are distinguished by their small head and fairly long neck.
Since these birds are flightless, their wings are underdeveloped, but they rely on very powerful legs, on which a pair of big toes can be found. Males and females differ: the color of the plumage of the former is black with old spots on the wings and tail, while the females are grayish.
The latter, by the way, lay huge eggs - their length can reach 23 cm and weight - more than 2 kg. They are also distinguished by their thick shell.
Saltwater crocodile
Closing our list is the combed crocodile, which has an incredible size. Some males can reach a length of seven meters and weigh more than one ton. However, such specimens in the wild, as you might guess, are quite rare.
Most often, these animals are found on some coasts of Australia, as well as in Indonesia. However, significantly smaller populations are also found in the Philippines and even the Seychelles.
The saltwater crocodile also attacks people. The reason is simple - the creature loves to be near the shore. Here the person’s vigilance sharply decreases and the crocodile begins to attack. It is clear that it is difficult to oppose him with anything. Therefore, almost all victims die from the attack.
The fauna of the planet is full of the most different representatives, which amaze a person with their size. There are both the tiniest individuals and surprisingly huge specimens that feel quite comfortable in their natural habitat. It is the latter that especially attract a person’s attention and force one to only guess what causes such an impressive weight and height. What is the largest animal on Earth?
The blue whale is the largest animal on the planet that humans have had the opportunity to measure and weigh. The weight of a newborn whale is 2-3 tons, and the average weight of adults is 100-120 tons with a body length of up to 30 meters. But history also knows larger animals:
- in 1926, whalers encountered a female weighing 150 tons;
- in 1947, a whale weighing 190 tons was killed.
Due to its incredible size, it is not possible to weigh a whole animal on a whaling ship, so a special method of weighing in parts has been developed.
On a note! The blue whale's tongue alone weighs about 2.7 tons - this is exactly the body weight of the average Indian elephant. The heart of a mammal weighs at least 600 kg, which can be compared in weight and size with the dimensions of a Mini Cooper car.
You can meet this record holder in the waters of many countries: Russia, Japan, China, Malaysia, India, USA, Norway, Iceland, Chile, Colombia, etc. They usually live alone, very rarely in groups of 2-3 individuals. A whale spends up to 1 million calories per day, to replenish which it needs to eat 1 ton of krill or other small shellfish.
Other giants of the planet
In addition to the blue whale, other large animals that belong to different categories live on our planet. Thus, among birds, rodents, reptiles and other representatives of the animal world there are their own record holders who attract attention with their abnormally large dimensions.
The largest animal living on land. The average weight of males is 7-8 tons, the body length is 6-7.5 m with a height of 3-3.5 m, and the weight of their tusks can reach 100 kg. They have virtually no enemies in the wild; sometimes only cubs suffer from attacks by lions or crocodiles. But these elephants are often destroyed by humans (elephant tusks are a valuable hunting item), and therefore are listed in the Red Book.
Interesting! African elephants sleep standing up and are still able to mourn the dead, in which they can be compared to humans
The largest predator alive today, since the weight of adult males reaches 4 tons, and the length is 2.6-3 m. They spend most of their lives in the aquatic environment, and very rarely come to land (mainly during the breeding season). A unique feature of these animals is that males are usually 5-6 times heavier than females.
It is considered the largest bird: an adult can weigh up to 150 kg and grow up to 3 m in height. Birds of enormous size live in the lowlands of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and are also the holders of the title of the fastest bipedal animal. In addition, they lay eggs weighing up to 2 kg, which are considered one of the world's delicacies.
Capybara
Most big representative rodents on the planet. Adult animals can grow up to 150 cm in height and weigh up to 100 kg. They live near water in temperate and tropical latitudes of South America. Capybaras adapt well to life with humans, so they are sometimes used by local residents as pets.
It is the largest reptile. He lives in South-East Asia, off the eastern coast of India and northern Australia. The body length of adult crocodiles can exceed 6 m, and weight - 1 ton. This is very dangerous predator, which is capable of attacking any living object in sight, regardless of whether it is on land or in water.
A giant among snakes, whose weight can reach 200 kg. The maximum recorded length of the snake is 11.43 m. But scientists believe that individuals with larger parameters can be found in the wild forests of South America. The anaconda wraps itself around its victim until it is completely suffocated and then swallows it whole, after which it can go without food for up to 1 month.
The largest arthropod, since its weight reaches 19 kg, and its body length including paws is 3.9 m. This giant lives in the waters of the Japanese islands, feeds on small mollusks and can live up to 100 years.
Modern large animals of the Earth are by no means inferior in size to their prehistoric predecessors. But if people do not treat them with respect and continue to destroy their habitat, they risk disappearing from the face of our planet, like dinosaurs millions of years ago.
Some Marine life 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 characterized by extremely aggressive behavior during 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 he should have a characteristic hump, but the main thing distinguishing feature humpback whale - long pectoral fins and huge “warts” on the 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 his maximum speed is 25 km/h) in contrast to its “thicker” 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 the body length is 20 m. This largest representative toothed whales - unlike baleen whales, they have teeth and hunt fish, cephalopods and, in rare cases, others 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. Stays far from the shore, where 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. At average duration lifespan 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. In a timely manner Taken measures on the protection of the whale have yielded results and scientists currently estimate the population 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.