All about which is the heaviest animal. Which animal is the heaviest and which is the lightest?
Planet Earth is full of amazing animals. It is inhabited by small and large, short and long, tall and short. Each one is unique in its own way.
But the real amazement is caused by animals of unprecedented size. In this article we will look at the largest animals in the world. They all belong to completely different species.
The heaviest animal in the world
Of the animals living on land, the African elephant is the heaviest. It ranks second in the ranking of the largest animals in the world. And it is the largest of those currently existing. Male African elephants grow up to 7.5 meters in length, up to 3.3 meters in height, and weigh about 6 tons. Females are slightly smaller, reaching 7 meters in length, 2.7 meters in height, and weighing less than 3 tons.The heaviest animal is the African elephant
By the way, the adult African elephant has no natural enemies, and all because of its impressive size. However, cubs, particularly newborns, are very vulnerable to lions, crocodiles, hyenas and leopards.
Tallest animal in the world
Our TOP of the most gigantic animals in the world continues - the giraffe. This is the tallest land animal on the planet. The African artiodactyl mammal grows up to 5-6 meters in height. The average weight of males is 1600 kilograms, females - 830 kilograms. The giraffe has an unusually long neck - more than 2 meters in length. Almost half the vertical height of individuals. And this is the result of disproportionate lengthening of the cervical spine.The largest carnivores in the world
The largest carnivore on the planet that lives to this day is the southern elephant seal, simply a seal. The size of females and males varies greatly, and this difference is greater than that of any other mammal.
Males are 5-6 times heavier than females. The average weight of males is 2200-4000 kilograms, while females are only 400-900 kilograms. Length – up to three meters.
The largest carnivorous land animals
At this point in the ranking of the largest animals in the world are the Kodiak bear (a type of brown bear) and the white polar bear. The sizes of the individuals are approximately the same and scientists still find it difficult to answer which bear is larger.
The height of the animals starts from 1.6 meters, the total length is about 3 meters. The heaviest individuals that were recorded weighed 1003 kilograms (polar bear) and 1135 kilograms (brown bear).
The largest reptile in the world
This is the saltwater crocodile. That's why he was included in the list of the largest animals in the world. The reptile can be seen in suitable habitats ranging from the east coast of India and Southeast Asia to Northern Australia.
The weight of an adult male reaches 1000 kilograms, and the length ranges from 4 to 5.5 meters. Mature males can grow even larger. By the way, this species of reptile is the only one in existence whose size regularly exceeds 4.8 meters. The saltwater crocodile is a predator that attacks almost any animal in its vicinity (both in water and on land).
The largest amphibian in the world
The Chinese giant salamander is the largest amphibian in the world. Its length is at least 180 centimeters. However, today quite often the salamander does not live to this size. The animal lives in rocky mountain lakes and streams in China.
Their numbers are declining catastrophically due to environmental pollution and over-capture (salamander meat is considered a delicacy, and the animal is also used in Chinese traditional medicine).
The largest hare (rabbit)
The Flemish giant occupies a worthy position in the ranking of the largest animals in the world. This is an old breed of domesticated rabbit that was bred in the Flemish region. They began to be propagated in the 16th century near the Belgian city of Ghent.Giant rabbit eats up its owners' budget
Such a mutant rabbit can weigh up to 13 kilograms and is as big as a large dog.
The largest bats in the world
Giant golden-crowned flying fox. For those who are afraid of mice, this is a real flying horror. Individuals grow up to 55 cm in length, the wingspan can reach 1.8 meters. The weight of a bat is about 1.5 kilograms.
It is worth noting that the simple large flying fox loses in mass and length, but wins in wingspan.
The largest rodent in the world
The capybara or guinea pig is considered the largest rodent in the world. This miracle of nature lives in temperate or tropical parts of eastern South America and the Andes. Individuals live mainly near water.Capybara - giant guinea pig
Adult capybaras grow up to 1.5 meters in length, up to a meter in height, and weigh about 105 kilograms. A huge guinea pig, by the way, easily gets along with people.
The largest bony fish in the world
Meeting one while swimming means getting shocked. Ocean sunfish have a bony rather than cartilaginous skeleton. The largest bony fish resembles the head of a fish with a tail, where the main part is slightly smoothed from the side.
The oceanic specimen is 1.8 meters long, and from fin to fin, even more so, up to 2.5 meters. The fisherman's dream weight is 1000 kilograms. By the way, there were even more impressive specimens - up to 3.3 meters in length, weighing up to 2,300 kilograms.
The biggest snake
This is the green anaconda. And therefore it takes pride of place with the TOP of the largest animals on the planet.
The maximum size that has been recorded is 7.5 meters in length and 250 kilograms in weight. However, there are rumors about larger individuals.
The largest bird in the world
The largest bird in the world cannot fly. The ostrich is an inhabitant of the plains of Arabia and Africa. Male individuals grow up to 2.8 meters and weigh from 150 kilograms.
An egg laid by an ostrich is worth a lot. It weighs about 1.5 kilograms and is the largest egg in the world. By the way, ostriches run at a speed of about 100 kilometers per hour. And this fact makes it the fastest bird in the world and the fastest two-legged animal on the planet.
The largest living animal in the world
This is definitely a blue whale. He is a marine mammal. The length of the individual reaches 30 meters, the weight of the monster is about 180 tons. And with such parameters, the blue whale can proudly bear the title of “the largest animal in the world” that has ever lived.
The mammal's tongue alone weighs about 2.7 tons. The size can be compared to the size of an average Indian elephant. The heart of a blue whale weighs about 600 kilograms. And it is the largest in the world. For comparison, the heart is comparable to a MiniCooper car in size and weight.
But animals can differ not only in physical size, but also in mental parameters. For example, among domestic animals, the smartest, no matter how surprising it may seem, are pigs.
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Let's take a look at the giants that still walk the Earth.
15. Giant flying fox ≈ 1.5 kg
The largest bat on Earth. These bats live in the Philippines. The fox's body size is about 55 cm, weight is 1.5 kg, but the wingspan is very respectable - up to 1.8 meters.
14. Belgian Flanders Giant – up to 25 kg
Domesticated form of the hare (rabbit). The main selection was carried out in the meat and skin direction, which left an imprint on its size. This is the largest breed of rabbit. Their average weight is 10-12 kg, the maximum recorded is 25 kg.
13. Chinese giant salamander ≈ 70 kg
The largest amphibian on Earth. The length of the salamander reaches 180 cm. These amazing creatures live in China, where their meat is revered as a delicacy, so few salamanders grow to their maximum size.
12. Capybara ≈ 105 kg
The largest rodent on Earth. These cute animals live in South America. Adult capybaras grow up to 1.5 meters in length and can gain up to 105 kg in weight. By the way, these rodents happily live next to humans.
11. Giant green anaconda ≈ 250 kg
This is a close relative of the python on Earth. It lives in the tropics of South America. The maximum recorded body length is more than 7.5 meters, and the weight is 250 kilograms. The Asian python surpasses the anaconda in length, which is 9.7 meters, but loses in weight.
10. Polar bear ≈ 500 kg
To find the largest bear in the world you need to go to the Arctic. There, among the snow and ice, live majestic polar bears - the living embodiment of the formidable forces of nature.
The Inuit call polar bears "nanuk", which means "respected".
At birth, a newborn polar bear cub weighs only 700 grams. And the milk it feeds on is superior in fat content to the milk of other types of bears. Just two months after birth, the cub weighs 10 kg.
Until he is one and a half years old, he is accompanied everywhere by his caring mother. And at the age of two, when many human children still have difficulty walking and soil their diapers, a young polar bear has already gained its normal weight and is capable of picking up a seal, a ringed seal, or even a person if he is not careful enough.
Even for the world's largest bear, finding food can be a challenge. Less than two percent of polar bears' hunts are successful, so half their lives are spent searching for food.
9. Saltwater crocodile ≈ 590 kg
Most of the largest animals are not peaceful. But even among them, saltwater crocodiles stand out for their aggressiveness and bloodthirstiness. It even got into the Guinness Book of Records for devouring a thousand Japanese soldiers along with its relatives during World War II.
But it is unlikely that saltwater crocodiles can be counted among the allies, because they would feast on Russian, American, and any other soldiers with the same pleasure.
8. Giraffe ≈ 800 kg
Among the largest animals in the world, giraffes immediately stand out for their long necks. Thanks to her, they are the tallest land creatures on the planet. The neck makes up 1/3 of the length of the animal's body and, at the same time, consists of only seven cervical vertebrae, like most other mammals.
One can safely say about giraffes that they have a big heart. It weighs 12 kilograms, and creates pressure that would terrify any hypertensive patient. The body will go to great lengths to ensure that blood can reach the brain.
Giraffes are also famous for their long tongue. Only they need him not for gossip, but in order to eat leaves from the tallest trees in the African savannah. This organ reaches a length of 45 centimeters.
7. Hippopotamus ≈ up to 4.5 tons
Sub-Saharan Africa is home to the third largest land animal in the world. But hippos don’t really like to walk on the ground. They are semi-aquatic mammals, meaning they spend most of their day in rivers and lakes. This is how they keep their hairless bodies hydrated under the scorching African sun. If the hippopotamus does not have the opportunity to immerse itself in cool water, its skin cracks.
Female hippos began giving birth underwater long before it became a fashionable trend in the human world. By the way, hippos are one of the few mammals whose cubs can suck mother's milk while underwater.
In most European languages, hippopotamus is called "hippopotamus". This word comes from the Latin language (and there, in turn, from Greek) and translated means “river horse.” Of course, this massive creature cannot be compared, but in the water it is very fast and agile.
6. Southern elephant seal ≈ 2.2 tons
Among the largest animals on our planet there are two elephants, one of them is terrestrial, and the other is sea.
This seal got its name from the leather pouch on its nose, which, when restless or during mating fights, inflates, turning into a large ball.
5. White rhinoceros ≈ 2.3 tons
The old rhino joke is that he has poor eyesight, but at such a large size this is no longer his problem. Indeed, these giants do not particularly rely on vision. And even hearing plays a secondary role. But the sense of smell in white rhinoceroses is very well developed. So don't approach it from upwind.
By the way, unlike their small brothers black rhinos, white ones usually run away when they see a person. But Black rushes to attack.
Due to the uncontrolled extermination of white rhinoceroses, the northern subspecies has disappeared. This happened as recently as 2018, when the last male, Sudan, died. So now we can only admire the photos of these largest animals in the world.
But the southern population still exists. But the question is: for how long?
4. African savannah elephant ≈ 7 tons
Here is a seven-ton answer to the question of what is the largest animal among land creatures. Due to its size and body weight, the elephant was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest land mammal. Savannah elephants also have their own heavyweights. Thus, in Angola in 1974, an elephant weighing 12.2 tons was shot.
Like their smaller cousins, African elephants can use their trunks (which have over 40,000 muscles) to lift anything weighing up to 180 kg. Unfortunately, the largest land animal does not boast the largest population. 25,000 elephants die every year due to poaching.
3. Large whale shark ≈ 20 tons
It seems strange that this is not the most terrible representative of the shark species. It doesn't even hunt whales, contrary to its name. Unlike most of its predatory counterparts, the large whale shark is content with plankton for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
This sea giant does not swim very fast, and hardly pays attention to people swimming nearby. Which allows divers to ride on the back of a whale shark if they wish.
In videos of the world's largest animals, you can often see people swimming with whale sharks.
2. Sperm whale ≈ 40 tons
One of the best ways to identify a sperm whale in the ocean is by its massive head. Sperm whales have the largest brain of any living creature on Earth, weighing up to 7.8 kg.
However, the fact that their heads are filled with spermaceti is what makes the biology of these creatures so fascinating. It is the spermaceti sac that accounts for 90% of the weight of the sperm whale's head.
Scientists suggest that it is spermaceti that helps these huge toothed whales dive and emerge from the depths. There must be something that keeps all 40 tons of sperm whale afloat!
1. Blue whale ≈ 150 tons
The largest animal on Earth is a majestic, carnivorous sea creature that weighs a whopping 150 tons and reaches a length of 33 meters. And this is still on average, since whalers encountered 180-ton and even 190-ton whales.
The blue whale's heart is one and a half meters in size, weighs about 180 kilograms, and its aorta is wide enough for a baby to swim through.
However, despite their gigantic size, blue whales are not dangerous to humans. They do not attack swimmers, and feed on krill, small crustaceans, cephalopods and fish.
But a person is the most dangerous enemy for a blue whale. Due to active whaling and severe sea pollution, the largest animal in the world almost disappeared. In 1693, only 5 thousand individuals remained. And although the blue whale population has now grown to 10 thousand individuals, it is still on the verge of extinction.
24.03.2013
Do you know which ones are the most big animals on the ground? Then you can view this top 10 and find out which one is the best big animal, although this list contains various species, both terrestrial and underwater inhabitants, birds, etc. But they are all huge in relation to the animals we see every day.
10. Giant green anaconda
The largest and heaviest snake in the world. Belongs to the subfamily of boas. The largest recorded individual reached 11.43 m in length. Weighs about 60 kg. It has a grayish-green color with brown spots. It lives mainly in the tropical zone of South America. Loves water and very rarely leaves bodies of water. It differs in that it can swim and dive superbly. It feeds on rodents, young crocodiles, birds and turtles. It very rarely attacks large animals, and attacks humans only in case of self-defense. It strangles the victim and swallows it.
9. Southern Elephant Seal
One of the largest animals on earth and the largest seal species in the world. The largest recorded specimens reached 6.5 m and 3.5 tons. But its trunk is shorter than that of its relatives - only 10 cm. The total number is about 750 thousand individuals. Colonies of the southern elephant seal are located on the subantarctic archipelagos and islands: South Georgia, Kerguelen, Heard, Macquarie.
8. African ostrich
The largest bird in the world. Its height reaches 250 cm, weight up to 150 kg. It cannot fly, but it runs at speeds of up to 70 km/h, taking steps of 3.5-4 m. If necessary, it can abruptly change the direction of movement without changing speed. Contrary to popular belief, it does not hide its head in the sand, but can “drop” it on the ground from fatigue after a long run.
7. Saltwater crocodile
The saltwater crocodile is the largest of the crocodiles. Body length is up to 7 m in males, up to 3 m in females. Adult males can gain weight up to 1000 kg. Most often found on the shores of Australia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. But it also makes its way to other popular resorts. Capable of making long voyages on the open sea. It is extremely dangerous on the shore or in shallow water, where it is easy for it to sneak up on prey. Every year many people become its victims.
6. Polar bear
Other names: polar, northern, sea bear, oshkuy. Can reach 3 m in length and 1000 kg of body weight. The largest representatives are found in the Bering Sea. It differs from other bears by its flat head and long neck. Hunts seals, bearded seals, walruses, and fish. A very thick layer of subcutaneous fat and thick fur help it survive in cold and icy water.
5. Giraffe
The tallest animal. Lives in the savannas of Africa. Height up to 6 m, body weight up to 1,200 kg. Despite its unusually long neck, like other mammals, it has only seven cervical vertebrae. But he has a very strong heart, capable of passing 60 liters of blood per minute and creating a pressure three times greater than that of a person. Consumes about 30 kg of plant food daily. The color of a giraffe is unique, like human fingerprints.
4. White rhinoceros
Second in size big animal land after the elephant. Body length up to 4.2 m, weight up to 5 tons, height at the shoulders up to 2 m. Actually, it is not white at all, but dark gray. The name most likely came from a corruption of the Boer word wijde (wide, wide-faced), consonant with the English white (white). He has two horns, which he successfully uses in fights with rivals. Lives in South and North-West Africa. Feeds on herbaceous vegetation.
3. Hippopotamus
Belongs to the order Artiodactyla, suborder Porciniformes. Distributed on the African continent. Weight can reach 4 tons, length up to 5.4 m. Leads a predominantly semi-aquatic lifestyle. The mouth of a hippopotamus can open unusually wide – 150 degrees. Interestingly, the hippopotamus is capable of running very fast on land. Quite an aggressive animal. When provoked by a person, it is capable of unexpectedly attacking.
2. African elephant
Mammal of the order Proboscis. Height at the shoulders is up to 4 m, weight - 7.5 tons. Habitat - Africa south of the Sahara. Includes two modern species - savannah elephant and forest elephant. More than their Indian relatives and the most big animal among the land ones. There are only 500-600 thousand of these giants left in nature. An unusually intelligent animal, capable of mutual assistance and mutual assistance. For example, if one elephant cannot get rid of an attached leech, another can take a stick and free his friend from the bloodsucker. The same applies to.
1. Blue whale
- Protozoan size usually around 10-40 meters. In some cases, organisms or colonies of organisms can reach several mm.
- Protozoan habitat- water and soil in which they inhabit all trophic levels.
- Protozoan nutrition. They can feed on unicellular or filamentous algae, other types of protozoa, microscopic fungi, as well as bacteria and detritus (a product of tissue decomposition).
- Reproduction of protozoa occurs by division into two parts or multiple division. There are protozoa that reproduce only sexually or asexually, but most species do both.
The meaning of protozoa.
Protozoa are part of the microfauna and meiofauna and serve as food for microscopic invertebrates and fish fry. Protozoa transport algal and bacterial products to the next trophic levels. They are causative agents of many diseases. Flagellates And ciliates help their owners break down cellulose.
Classification of protozoa.
The simplest are divided into:
- Ciliates;
- Radiolarians;
- Flagellates;
- Sporozoans;
- Solnechniki;
- Roots.
Empirical animal
The fauna of planet Earth is amazing and diverse. It contains both real giants, like the blue whale, and almost microscopic animals, which you won’t always be able to see (especially if they don’t want to).
Once upon a time, scientists empirically calculated that an animal whose weight was less than two and a half to three grams could not exist on earth - otherwise its tiny body simply would not be able to function fully, being “crushed” by the force of gravity present on the planet. However, such a coherent theory several decades ago crashed into practice, namely, into several amazing discoveries of new (for humanity, which had never suspected such a thing) representatives of the fauna.
Pygmy shrew
Thus, scientists discovered a tiny creature, which received the Latin name Suncus etruscus. In a non-scientific way, this extremely small animal has different names: Etruscan shrew, dwarf shrew, little shrew, etc. Only by the fact that it is a very light animal, and does not differ in any large dimensions, can this fact be explained that biologists remained unaware of its existence until the twentieth century.
Meanwhile, this representative of the genus of shrews, whose weight does not exceed 1.5-1.7 grams, and reaches only 3-4.5 centimeters in length (plus the tail, which is usually about 3.5 cm), lives in many locations Eurasia and northern Africa. You can meet it in the south of Europe (closer to the coasts of the Ionian, Adriatic and Aegean seas), and in the southern part of the Celestial Empire, and in Japan, and in Taiwan, and the Philippines, and in quite a number of other places in those latitudes. The “houses” of Etruscan shrews are all kinds of crevices, crevices (in rocks, abandoned buildings, etc.) and voids (including in tree trunks).
Appearance of the shrew
Outwardly, such an animal looks quite attractive. It has a very slender, elongated and very nimble body (covered with short brown fur, which is lighter on the belly), which turns into a thin proboscis in the nasal part of the head.
Despite its tiny size, the dwarf shrew is quite voracious (as are all shrews). She eats food per day that weighs two to three times her own size.
Finding it even if you want is very difficult. The point is not even in the microscopic length and weight of the body, but in the nocturnal lifestyle that such an animal prefers. By the way, this rodent should not be considered a priori an agricultural pest. Quite the contrary - it brings undoubted benefits to this industry in its habitats, since it destroys all kinds of insect pests.
Tiny pig-nosed bat
However, the Etruscan shrew is not the only lightest animal on earth. This title is shared with another tiny creature - the pig-nosed bat. It was discovered only four decades ago in Thailand, and its range is very limited to some locations in this country, plus here and there in neighboring Myanmar.
This representative of the bat class received his nickname for the unusual shape of his nose, somewhat reminiscent of a pig’s snout. In general, the animal differs little from other bats - the same shaggy body covered with brownish fur, ears with a large tragus, and membranous wings. The weight of this creature is - in adulthood - no more than one and a half to two grams, and the length of the body is 2.9-3.4 cm.
The nocturnal lifestyle and love of solitude do not allow one to get to know this “bumblebee mouse” better. However, experts have found out one thing for sure: the size of its population now hardly exceeds half a thousand. This made it possible to include such a rare creature in the Red Book as vulnerable.
It seems that the era of great discoveries - at least in biology - is not yet over. Perhaps the above-mentioned animals will not remain in the rank of the lightest animals on earth for long, and soon scientists will discover much smaller creatures.