Let's take a look at the giants that still roam the Earth.
15. Giant flying fox ≈ 1.5 kg
The largest bats on Earth. These bats live in the Philippines. The body size of the fox is about 55 cm, weight is 1.5 kg, but the wingspan is very solid - up to 1.8 meters.
14. Belgian Flanders giant - up to 25 kg
Domesticated form of 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 rabbits. 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 in weight they can gain up to 105 kg. By the way, these rodents happily live next to humans.
11. Giant green anaconda ≈ 250 kg
This is a close relative of python, on Earth. She lives in the tropics of South America. The maximum recorded body length is over 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 travel to the Arctic. There, among the snow and ice, the majestic polar bears live - the living embodiment of the formidable forces of nature.
Inuit call polar bears "nanuk", which means "respected."
At birth, a newborn polar bear cub weighs only 700 grams. And the milk he feeds on surpasses milk of other species of bears in fat content. Already two months after birth, the bear weighs 10 kg.
Up to a year and a half, he is accompanied everywhere by a caring mother. And at the age of two, when many human children still have difficulty walking and getting their diapers dirty, a young polar bear is already gaining its normal weight and is able to bully a bearded seal, 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 bear hunting is successful, so half of their life is spent looking for food.
9. Salted crocodile ≈ 590 kg
Most of the largest animals are not peaceful in nature. But even among them, crested crocodiles stand out for their aggressiveness and bloodthirstiness. even got into the Guinness Book of Records for the fact that, together with relatives, he ate a thousand Japanese soldiers during the Second World War.
But it is unlikely that the crested crocodiles can be counted among the allies, because they would eat with the same pleasure both Russian and American and any other soldiers.
8.Giraffe ≈ 800 kg
Among the largest animals in the world, giraffes immediately stand out for their long neck. Thanks to her, they are the tallest terrestrial creatures on the planet. The neck is 1/3 the length of the animal's body and, at the same time, consists of only seven cervical vertebrae, like most other mammals.
We can safely say about giraffes that they have a big heart. It weighs 12 kilograms and creates pressure that would terrify any hypertensive patient. What the body does not go to, so that the blood can reach the brain.
Also, giraffes are famous for their long tongue. Only they do not need it for gossip, but in order to eat the leaves from the tallest trees in the African savannah. In length, this organ reaches as much as 45 centimeters.
7. Hippo ≈ up to 4.5 tons
Sub-Saharan Africa is home to the world's third largest land animal. But hippos are not very fond of walking 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 body hydrated under the scorching African sun. If the hippopotamus is unable to submerge 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 young can suck their mother's milk while under water.
In most European languages, the hippopotamus is called the "hippopotamus". This word came from the Latin language (and there, in turn, from the Greek) and in translation means "river horse". Of course, this massive creature cannot be compared, but in the water it is very fast and dexterous.
6. Southern elephant seal ≈ 2.2 tons
Among the largest animals on our planet, there are two elephants at once, and one of them is land, and the second is sea.
This seal got its name for a leather bag on the nose, which, during anxiety or during mating fights, swells, turning into a large ball.
5. White rhino ≈ 2.3 tons
An old joke about a rhino says 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 sight. And even hearing plays a secondary role. But the sense of smell in white rhinos is very well developed. So don't approach it from the upwind side.
By the way, unlike their smaller counterparts, black rhinos, white ones usually run away when they see a person. But Black rushes to the attack.
Due to the uncontrolled extermination of white rhinos, the northern subspecies has disappeared. This happened most recently, in 2018, when the last male named 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 bush elephant ≈ 7 tons
Before you 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 entered the Guinness Book of Records as the largest land mammal. Among the savannah elephants, there are also heavyweights. So, in Angola in 1974, an elephant weighing 12.2 tons was shot.
Like their smaller counterparts, African elephants can use their trunks (which have over 40,000 muscles) to lift anything up to 180 kg. Unfortunately, the largest land animal does not have the largest population. Poaching kills 25,000 elephants every year.
3. Great whale shark ≈ 20 tons
It seems strange that this is not the worst of the shark species. She doesn't even hunt whales, contrary to her name. Unlike most of its predatory counterparts, the great whale shark is content with plankton for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
This sea giant does not swim very quickly, and almost does not pay attention to people passing by. This allows divers to ride on the back of a whale shark if they wish.
Videos of the largest animals in the world often show people swimming with whale sharks.
2. Sperm whale ≈ 40 tons
One of the best ways to spot a sperm whale in the ocean is by its massive head. Sperm whales have the largest brain of all living things on Earth, weighing up to 7.8 kg.
However, the fact that their heads are filled with spermaceti 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 speculate 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 the 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 is 33 meters long. And this is still on average, since whalers have encountered 180-ton and even 190-ton whales.
The heart of a blue whale is one and a half meter in size, weighs about 180 kilograms, and its aorta is wide enough for a baby to swim through it.
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 the man for the blue whale is the most dangerous enemy. Due to active whaling and severe pollution of the seas, the largest animal in the world almost disappeared. In 1693, only 5 thousand individuals remained. And although now the population of the blue whale has grown to 10 thousand individuals, it is still on the verge of extinction.
The largest animal on Earth. Its body length can reach 33 meters and weighs almost 150 tons. You can of course say that a whale is a fish and you are 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, while the head is a third of its entire length. If you look at the head from above, it has a U-shape and is slightly flattened in profile. The lower jaw is elongated and wide, much wider than the upper one.
The breath 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 opening, the height of which can reach 10 meters. Also, the animal has longitudinal stripes that begin at the bottom of the head and continue almost throughout the body. They, firstly, improve the hydrodynamic properties of the body, and secondly, they help the pharynx to stretch more when water is swallowed with food.
The largest specimen ever caught was a female blue whale who was killed by whalers in 1926 near the South Shetland Islands. Her body length 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 more specimens, for example, once fishermen saw a 37-meter whale, but due to the lack of the necessary equipment they could not catch it.
White rhino
The third place is occupied by the white rhinoceros - the mass of old males can reach more than 5 tons (average - 2-2.5 tons), and the body length is more than 4 meters. However, in nature, such specimens are relatively rare. By the way, it is still not clear where the word "white" came from in the name, since there is nothing white in the animal. In fact, his body color is dark gray. Two horns always grow 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 regions where these animals lived - South Africa and one of its northern sides, which is near South Sudan and the Republic of Congo. However, the northern subspecies was completely exterminated by poachers - if in the 60s of the last century there were about two thousand heads, 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, even at the end of the 19th century, this species was considered almost extinct, but taken under guardianship in time, now it is out of the threat of extinction.
Usually rhinos keep in small groups, and in them most often you can find females with cubs. Sometimes they are ready to accept the male, but only if he does not accept attempts to mate. Otherwise, he is expelled from the group, and in some cases he may even be killed. Males, on the other hand, show strong aggression towards other males, therefore, they periodically kill each other in fights. If the group senses danger, they take a defensive position: adults stand in a circle with their heads out, covering their defenseless cubs.
As for reproduction, this issue has been little studied. It is believed that sexual maturity in rhinos occurs at about 7-8 years. Pregnancy lasts about 17-18 months, after which one cub is born. On the second day, he can not only walk, but also accompanies the mother everywhere. A week later, it can begin to feed on grass, although it continues to feed on breast milk for many months.
Animals graze only at moderate temperatures. They try not to go out under the scorching sun and take refuge in the shade of trees. It also looks for protection in rainy weather. Rhinos often swim in swamps, where turtles are waiting for them - they devour ticks that accumulate on the skin of these giants.
It is worth noting that rhinos have been killed for several centuries - this is due to 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 should be noted this unusual animal, which is a huge seal. It is currently the largest pinniped creature on our planet. An elephant can be up to 6 meters long and weigh more than 5 tons!
Unusually, males are very different from females in appearance - they have a sack on their nose, which swells very much in individuals over three years old. 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, the upper side is brownish-gray, the skin is bumpy.
The animal lives exclusively in the eastern regions of China, prefers cold and clean mountain reservoirs. Eats small fish and some invertebrates as food. Unfortunately, recently the number of this species of salamanders has been declining, as its natural habitats are polluted, and, in addition, it is being destroyed by humans. Scientists and government are trying to find a way out.
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 the weight is more than one ton. Females are slightly smaller in size. If you look at the neck of this giant, you just can't 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 has other features. For example, he has a very strong heart, which is capable of passing over 60 liters of blood through itself in just one minute. Not surprisingly, it weighs over 12 kg. And this creature also has denser and therefore thicker blood. Finally, the giraffe has a 45cm tongue that helps it grip branches.
Kodiak
It is a species of brown bear that lives on Kodiak Island off the coast of Alaska. At the moment, it is one of the largest predators on our planet.
The length of the male can reach 3.5 m, and the height - 1.5 m. This is about the same as a small car. Weight - about half a ton, females weigh about two times less.
The body is strong and muscular, the limbs are very strong, the head is massive, the tail is small. If we talk about the way of life, then it is exactly the same as that of the 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, the total number of kodiaks is no more than three thousand individuals, and it is still allowed to shoot more than a hundred bears a year.
Capybara
And this is the largest rodent. The height of an adult 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, and the females are larger than the males, although not much.
From the side, the capybara very much resembles an enlarged guinea pig, which is perfectly 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. In a drought, in search of a reservoir, one can travel considerable distances. The greatest activity is observed in the daytime, however, it often switches to nocturnal lifestyle if predators appear in the area.
Some Americans use capybaras as pets, and the latter do not 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 mass of some individuals can be up to one and a half centners, and the height - up to 2.5 m. Ostriches stand out with a small head and a rather long neck.
Since these birds are flightless, their wings are underdeveloped, but they rely on very powerful legs, on which you can find a pair of thumbs. Males and females differ: the color of the plumage of the former is black with former 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 their weight - more than 2 kg. They are also distinguished by a thick shell.
Combed crocodile
At the bottom of our list is the crested crocodile, which has incredible size. Some males can grow up to seven meters in length 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 in the Seychelles.
The combed crocodile also attacks people. The reason is simple - the creature loves to be near the shore. Here, a person's vigilance drops sharply and the crocodile begins to attack. It is clear that it is difficult to oppose anything to him. Therefore, almost all victims die from the attack.
Just a few million years ago, our Earth was inhabited by giant reptiles,
with which no other animal could compete in size and mass.
However, now, at a time of regular environmental disasters and inhuman treatment
man himself to nature, there are not so many animals left on earth that surprise with their size.
They live on land and plow the vastness of the oceans, never ceasing to amaze and delight not
only professional wildlife researchers, but also mere mortals.
Giant anaconda
There are a lot of rumors about this incredibly large snake. Even the first colonizers of South America said that in the wild jungle, where no human foot has stepped, a snake lives, reaching 10 meters in length and 300 kg in weight.
Naturally, such information is nothing more than the fruit of a sick fantasy. The true size of the anaconda very rarely exceeds 5 meters in length. But still, this snake is considered one of the largest.
The ideal habitat for this species is the tropical rainforests of South America. The anaconda spends most of its life underwater.
This snake is not venomous. During the hunt, she takes the life of her victim by strangulation.
By the way, it is wrong to assume that the anaconda is interested exclusively in large prey. For the most part, her diet consists of medium-sized lizards, rodents, birds, etc.
It is noteworthy that the anaconda can eat representatives of its own kind.
African ostrich 
The African ostrich belongs to the Ostrich family, the Ostrich order. Currently, this bird lives exclusively on the African continent.
Today, African ostriches are considered the largest birds, because their height can exceed 270 cm, and their weight is 70-90 kg.
The ostrich has a fairly dense build, a long neck and a relatively small flattened head.
Saltwater crocodile 
The very formidable appearance and impressive size of this reptile throughout history has struck terror in the hearts of people.
At the moment, the saltwater crocodile is considered the largest reptile on the planet. This predator is even bigger than a polar bear!
Polar bear 
This is the largest land mammal of the order of carnivores. Its height is on average 3 meters, and its weight can reach 1 ton. Usually males weigh one and a half times more than females.
The smallest representatives of this species live in Svalbard, and the largest in the Bering Sea.
Giraffe 
On average, the growth of a giraffe is 5.5 - 6.1 m, and a third of the entire size of the body of this giant is its neck.
The body weight of an adult male giraffe can vary from 500 to 1900 kg, and its heart muscle weighs 12 kg: in 1 minute, the heart pumps about 60 liters of blood, and the blood pressure of this animal is 3 times higher than normal human indicators.
Due to the relatively high density of blood, even with a sharp change in the position of the head in space, his condition does not worsen.
Despite its incredible size, the giraffe's neck is not much different from other mammals in its main features - it has 7 cervical vertebrae, whose length is 25 cm.
hippo 
This is one of the largest modern land animals at the moment. The weight of large male hippos can reach 4 tons, therefore, they can compete with rhinos for the second place in the title of the largest land animal.
Not so long ago, pigs were considered the closest relatives of hippos, but now wildlife researchers are sure that whales are their closest relatives.
Now the habitat of the hippopotamus is limited to the African continent.
Southern elephant seal 
This animal is the largest pinniped in the world. Its size can exceed 5.8 m in length, and its weight can reach up to 3700 kg.
White rhino 
This is actually a gigantic animal - the weight of elderly males can reach 4 tons, and the body length is 4.2 m.Most likely, the name of the species occurred with an erroneous interpretation of the Boer word wijde (wide), which the Anglo-Saxons, by their sounding relationship, began to pronounce as wite (white), although the fur of this beast has a dark shade.
The white rhino has 2 horns, with the front one being much larger than the back one. It is believed that the main purpose of this bone growth is to move the thickets apart when the animal moves. Due to this, the horn is always polished, and its frontal surface is slightly flattened.
A characteristic feature of the white rhinoceros is the presence of a flattened upper lip in the first. This form is absolutely consistent with its purpose, because, in general, the food for this mammal is not a bush, but grass. The rhinoceros bites the grass at its very base, almost touching the ground with its lip, so this structure contributes to more convenient absorption of food.
African elephant 
The elephant is one of the largest land-dwelling animals on Earth. The African elephant, despite its size, is easy to train and has a high level of intelligence.
Since ancient times, these animals have been used by humans to transport heavy loads. Also, they could quite successfully be fighting animals during various battles.
In the wild, they have almost no opponents, because no predatory animal would dare to attack such a huge creature.
Blue whale 
This mammal is currently considered the largest on the planet. Over the past 90 million years, Mother Nature has not produced anything more impressive.
Looking at this giant, you feel awe and admiration at the same time. The maximum size of a blue whale can be 33 meters. The largest recorded weight of this mammal is 190 tons.
Of course, it is not easy to find such a specimen in the waters of the World Ocean. However, whales that are 29 meters long and weigh 130 tons are not uncommon. Females usually reach this size. The average length of males varies between 24-25 m.
When the word “giant” is used, most people represent either huge diplodocus or a mammoth from the “Ice Age”. Another option is not excluded - eucalyptus and baobabs. However, there are many more creatures whose size can pleasantly (and not very much) surprise you. Oddly enough, huge living organisms exist not only in fairy tales and the prehistoric past, but are also sharing the planet with us right now! Here is a list of notable animals, from dog-sized rabbits to human-sized crabs. Feel like tiny with the largest inhabitants of the world!
Female hippopotamus during evening rest
Looking at these funny creatures (which, by the way, are one of the most aggressive mammals in the world: more people suffer from them than from crocodiles and sharks), it's hard to believe that their closest relatives are sea whales. Although they came out onto land, hippos are still completely devoted to the aquatic environment, as evidenced by the etymology of their Greek name - "river horse".
Male gorilla at rest
This gorilla species is on the verge of extinction. A humanly intelligent primate lives only in a small area in Africa, where deforestation and poaching made his life a struggle for survival. The eastern gorilla is the largest of the great ape species.
The largest breed of rabbit - Flandre
Domestic rabbit of breed "flandre" and collie
This medium-sized dog breed of game rabbit can impress foodies and fur lovers alike. The largest rabbit was first bred in the Middle Ages near the Belgian city of Ghent.
Octopus on an engraving of the early 19th century
Only recently has it been possible to prove the existence of giant squids, since they rarely appear on the surface. Many oceanologists are sure that the legendary Kraken is a representative of this cephalopod subspecies. Until the end of the twentieth century, the only proof of its existence was the imprints from suckers the size of a plate on the bodies of sperm whales. However, in 2004, Japanese researchers managed to photograph a live giant squid in its habitat.
"Flying" stingray in shallow water
This majestic stingray, nicknamed the "sea devil", can have a "wingspan" of up to eight meters. Moreover, manta rays can easily jump out of the water for several meters. Unfortunately, this beautiful sight can only be seen on the high seas and only during the breeding season.
Old white shark on the hunt
This sea monster is the largest and most aggressive fish living today (it's good that the megalodons are extinct). Moreover, it has no natural enemies other than killer whales and humans.
Capybara - a peaceful rodent animal
Rodent sunbathing
This cute creature feels comfortable at home and is increasingly becoming a pet. The capybara is the largest rodent. They live in families or even in groups in South America.
Anaconda while hunting
This snake is the largest in the world and even has its own horror franchise. Large individuals can reach eight meters in length. Some species of pythons can surpass the anaconda in size, but do not surpass it in thickness.
The head and structure of the front of the body of the perch
As the name suggests, this perch lives in the Nile River and is the largest freshwater fish. Its length can reach the height of an adult. Its other name is "water elephant".
The trail from the movement of such a carcass is the best signal to turn back.
This type of reptile is the largest living species. A combed crocodile can be found in the Indian Ocean off the coast. This monster is known for its aggressiveness, so if you see two rows of prongs swimming towards you, you better get away with it.
Flying fox on vacation
Unfortunately, this large bat is on the verge of extinction due to the fact that its habitats in the Philippines are subject to deforestation and pollution. Acerodon is peaceful and eats exclusively fruits.
Komodo Island Dragon Digests Lunch
These legendary "dragons" are the largest lizards in the world. They are known for their gluttony: in one meal, they can eat almost as much as they weigh themselves. However, there is a downside to their appetite: the metabolism of monitor lizards is so slow that it is enough for a monitor lizard to eat once a month.
Cassowary comb is considered an aphrodisiac
These are the largest birds outside of Africa. Despite their peaceful disposition, cassowaries can attack people during the current period or if the bird feels a threat to its offspring.
Killer whale chasing a fur seal
In fact, killer whales are not whales. They are the largest members of the dolphin family. They have high intelligence and live in large families.
Female sperm whale with cub
These huge whales are the largest carnivores on the planet. In addition, sperm whales have the largest brains. However, this does not save them from the whalers.
Crab at Tokyo Aquarium
A true champion among arthropods. This type of crabs lives off the coast of Japan. It is known for its size (it can weigh up to 20 kg), taste (gourmets all over the world queue up for its phalanges) and longevity (there are individuals that have lived for a century).
A female elephant scaring away intruders
It is scary to imagine, but these mammals can reach 5 tons in weight. And given their aggressiveness and size, elephant seals can be safely called the largest carnivores on land (although they hunt marine life, fortunately for us).
Pelican before flying to fish
This pelican species is the largest flying bird. Lives on the territory of the Eurasian continent.
Emu during the mating season
The comical, but dangerous and aggressive bird is known to be the largest in the world. It can accelerate to 70 km / h, which allows ostriches to win in two categories: the fastest two-legged creature and the fastest flightless bird.
Giraffe in one of the US zoos
Everyone is well aware of these amazing and cute creatures. Despite its good nature, the giraffe can run fast and fight back even lions. This mammal is the tallest of the land animals.
Huge fish in the New Mexico Aquarium
This inhabitant of the oceans is the largest representative of bony fish (those that do not have cartilage, but full-fledged bones).
Salamander at the Beijing Zoo
The Chinese have put the fate of this species of lizard under threat of extinction, as they value its meat for its taste and use the internal organs in traditional medicine.
The bear is looking for food in the polar winter
Despite the seeming "plushness", polar bears are strong and vicious predators that can tear a person apart in a matter of seconds. They say that there is no salvation from him, except for a shameful flight.
Male that scares off border trespassers
The largest land creature. Representatives of this species do not have enemies who could attack it with impunity (except for people who destroy elephants on an industrial scale). Its weight can be up to 12 tons.
Young whale playing with a school of fish
Perhaps, over time, new species of living beings will acquire monstrous proportions. And among the living there may be unknown giants, about whom we will definitely learn.
Planet Earth is full of amazing animals. It is inhabited by small and large, short and long, high and low. Each is unique in its own way.
But the real amazement is caused by animals of unprecedented size. In this article, we will take a look at the largest animals in the world. They all belong to completely different types.
The heaviest animal in the world
Of the animals living on land, the African elephant is the heaviest. It ranks as the second largest animal in the world. And it is the largest of the existing ones. Males of the African elephant grow up to 7.5 meters in length, up to 3.3 meters in height, and weigh about 6 tons. Females are slightly smaller, their length reaches 7 meters, height is 2.7 meters, weight is less than 3 tons.The heaviest animal is the African elephant
By the way, an adult African elephant has no natural enemies, and all because of its impressive size. However, cubs, in particular newborns, are very vulnerable to lions, crocodiles, hyenas and leopards.
Tallest animal in the world
Continuing our TOP of the most giant animals in the world - the giraffe. It is the tallest land animal on the planet. The African cloven-hoofed mammal grows up to 5-6 meters in height. The average weight of males is 1600 kilograms, females are 830 kilograms. The giraffe has an unusually long neck - over 2 meters in length. Almost half the vertical height of individuals. And this is the result of a 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 significantly, 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, the kodiak bear (a type of brown bear) and the polar polar bear are located. The sizes of individuals are approximately the same and scientists are still at a loss 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 recorded weighed 1003 kilograms (polar bear) and 1135 kilograms (brown bear).
The largest reptile in the world
Such is the saltwater crocodile. Therefore, he was included in the list of the largest animals in the world. The reptile can be seen in suitable habitats from the east coast of India and Southeast Asia to Northern Australia. 
The weight of an adult male reaches 1000 kilograms, while the length ranges from 4 to 5.5 meters. Mature males can grow larger. By the way, this type of reptile is the only one in existence, the size of which 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 up to this size. The animal lives in rocky mountain lakes and streams in China. 
Their number is dramatically decreasing due to pollution of the habitat, in excess of catching (salamander meat is considered a delicacy, moreover, the animal is used in Chinese traditional medicine).
The largest hare (rabbit)
The Flemish giant holds a worthy position in the ranking of the largest animals in the world. This is an old breed of domesticated rabbits that were bred in the Flemish region. They began to breed in the 16th century near the Belgian city of Ghent.The giant rabbit eats up its owners' budget
Such a mutant rabbit can weigh up to 13 kilograms and is not inferior in size to a large dog.
The biggest bats in the world
Giant flying golden-crowned fox. For those who are afraid of mice - a real flying horror. Individuals grow up to 55 cm in length, wingspan can reach 1.8 meters. The bat weighs about 1.5 kilograms. 
It is worth noting that a simple large flying fox loses in mass and in length, but wins in wingspan.
The largest rodent in the world
The capybara or guinea pig is considered the largest rodent in the world. Such a miracle of nature inhabits the temperate or tropical parts of the east of 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 a person.
The largest bony fish in the world
To meet such a person while swimming is a shock. Ocean sunfish have a bony skeleton rather than a cartilaginous skeleton. The largest bony fish resembles the head of a fish with a tail, where the main part is slightly flattened from the side. 
The ocean specimen is 1.8 meters long, and from fin to fin, and even more so - up to 2.5 meters. The weight of a fisherman's dream is 1000 kilograms. By the way, there were even more impressive specimens - up to 3.3 meters long, weighing up to 2300 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 of 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 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 bipedal animal on the planet.
The largest animal in the world from nowadays
This is definitely a blue whale. He is a marine mammal. In length, individuals reach 30 meters, the weight of the monster is about 180 tons. And with such parameters, the blue whale can bear the proud title of "the largest animal in the world" ever living. 
The mammalian tongue alone weighs about 2.7 tons. The size can be compared to the size of the 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 in size and weight to a MiniCooper.
But animals can differ not only in physical size, but also in mental parameters. For example, among pets, the smartest, as surprising as it may seem, are pigs.
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