There are many animals that have horns. Horned animals can be both domestic and wild. The functions of horns are different. Some animals “shed” their antlers in winter and grow new ones every year. The size and weight of the horns of some animals are simply amazing.
Let's look at the most “horned” animals:
The waterbuck is a large and strong antelope: the height of adult males reaches 130 cm, weight - 250 kg. Only males have horns; they are heavy, widely spaced, fork-shaped, slightly curved forward and reach more than a meter in length. Waterbucks have horns playing important role during the rut. Before the start of the tournament, the fighters stand opposite each other with their front legs wide apart and their heads lowered to the ground. During the battle, the animals cross their horns, rest their foreheads and try to press down the enemy’s head.
photo 3
The mouflon is considered the smallest of the mountain sheep, but it holds the honor of being the progenitor of all breeds of domestic sheep. Male mouflons have large, triangular, spirally twisted horns that form only one circle; their surface is dotted with numerous wrinkles.
Cretan Mountain goat found today only on Crete and neighboring coastal islets. The size of an adult animal reaches 1.2-1.6 m, its height at the shoulders is about 0.8 m, and its weight ranges from 15 to 40 kg. Kri-kri males have huge saber-shaped horns, reaching a length of 80 cm, and a long thick beard.
The Siberian mountain goat is a fairly large animal: its body length reaches 165 cm, weight - 130 kg. Females are much smaller than males, but they also have horns, albeit small ones. The horns of males are much more massive, strongly curved back and can exceed 1 m in length. mating season the males fight fiercely, and the blows of their horns can be heard quite far away. Sometimes fights end in the death of one of the opponents.
The Alpine mountain goat is a beautiful representative of the genus mountain goats, which can only be seen in the Alps. The powerful horns of males can reach a length of more than 1 meter and weigh about fifteen kilograms. They play an important role during the rut, in November-January, when males, who usually live alone, join groups of females. At this time, serious tournament fights take place between the goats. The winning male lives in the harem until spring.
You can see annual rings on the horns of this goat. From them you can determine the age of the animal. Every year a new ring appears on the horn.
It is believed that horned and bezoar goats participated to varying degrees in the development of the domestic goat. The horns of the longest-horned domestic goat are 132 cm in length.
These bulls are called "inyambo" - a cow with very long horns. main feature Ankole-Watusi are amazing horns; their length can reach 3.7 meters. The longer the horns, the wider they are at the base, and the more respect their owner is in the herd. The highest level of the hierarchy is the inclusion of the king of the tribe in the herd and the assignment of sacred status. For the Watussi themselves main value Their horns lie in their thermoregulatory properties. Their horns act as radiators in which the circulating blood is cooled and distributed throughout the body, lowering its temperature. This quality is life-saving in Ankole habitats, where temperatures can reach 50 degrees.
The longest-horned bull of the Watusi breed has a weight of each horn of about fifty kilograms and a length of more than ninety-two centimeters.
This species got its name because of the shape of the horns, which twist like a corkscrew or screw and reach a length of 1.5 m.
Bighorn sheep or bighorn sheep are common in the mountains of the western part North America from Canada to the California Peninsula. Male bighorns have very heavy and massive horns, their length is about 110 cm, and their weight is 14 kg (this is about the same as all the other bones of the body weigh in total). The horns of females are always well developed, but weaker than those of males; they have a semi-crescent shape and sharply diverge to the sides.
- 10.
Guys, we put our soul into the site. Thank you for that
that you are discovering this beauty. Thanks for the inspiration and goosebumps.
Join us on Facebook And In contact with
There were times when the kings of nature were creatures much larger than us - real prehistoric giants! And one of them still lives on Earth, can you imagine?
We are in website We can’t choose what we would like more - ride a Paraceratherium or fly a Quetzalcoatlus.
Amphicelia
Amphicelia is the largest animal that has ever existed on Earth. These herbivorous dinosaurs lived 145–161 million years ago. One amphicelia vertebra was 2.5 meters long.
Titanoboa
Titanoboa - close relative boa constrictor But much, much more. Titanoboa lived 58–61 million years ago and reached 13 meters in length. Modern reticulated python can grow to a maximum of 7.5 meters.
Megalodon
Megalodons were apex predators that lived 3–28 million years ago. The megalodon tooth alone barely fits in the hands of an adult. Its length could reach 20 meters, and its weight reached 47 tons. The megalodon's bite force was 10 tons!
Argentavis
Argentavis lived 5–8 million years ago. This is one of the most big birds throughout the history of the Earth. Its wingspan reached almost 7 meters, and it ate rodents.
Bighorn deer
Big-horned (Irish) deer appeared a couple of million years ago. When the forests began to encroach open spaces, big-horned deer became extinct - with their huge (more than 5 meters in span) antlers, they simply could not move among the dense branches.
Giant short-faced bear
The giant short-faced bear (bulldog bear), straightened up, reached a height of 3.5–4.5 meters and had incredible powerful jaws. He was one of the largest carnivorous mammals who lived on Earth in glacial period. Males were significantly larger than females and could reach a weight of 1.5 tons. 14 thousand years ago, bulldog bears became extinct.
Gigantopithecus
Gigantopithecus is the largest apes of all times. They lived about 1 million years ago. It is difficult to draw clear conclusions from the rare remains, but scientists believe that Gigantopithecus was 3–4 meters tall, weighed 300–550 kg and ate mainly bamboo.
Paraceratherium
Paraceratherium (indricotherium) lived 20–30 million years ago. They are relatives of modern rhinoceroses, but they did not have horns. Paraceratherium is one of the largest land mammals that ever existed. They reached 5 meters in height and weighed up to 20 tons. Despite their impressive appearance, they were not predators and fed on leaves and tree branches.
Although the big-horned deer has long been extinct, its image, restored on the basis of archaeological finds, still delights and amazes today. The greatest interest is caused by its large, elk-like antlers. There is not and never has been a second deer like this in the world!
The giant deer (lat. Megaloceros giganteus) is also called the Irish elk because of its huge antlers. This species of extinct mammal belonged to the deer family (lat. Cervidae), suborder ruminants (lat. Ruminantia). This is one of the largest deer that has ever lived on Earth.
Closest relatives
Because of its spade-shaped antlers, this extinct species of giant deer was considered from the beginning to be a close relative of elk and modern fallow deer. Later morphological and molecular studies proved its relationship with the modern Canadian deer (lat. Cervus elaphus canadensis) and red deer(lat. Cervus elaphus). Only recent genetic studies have definitively confirmed that Megaloceros giganteus's closest relative is, in fact,
Giant megaloceras: origin
Archaeological research shows that Megaloceros giganteus lived in Northern Europe and North Asia(lived in almost all of Eurasia: from Ireland to Lake Baikal), as well as on the northern outskirts of Africa. Most of the fossil remains of the animal were found in the swamps of what is now Ireland, hence its second name - Irish elk. Let us add that the term “moose” was assigned to it due to the external similarity of the antlers. Several skeletons of this giant were discovered on the territory of our country (Crimea, North Caucasus, Sverdlovsk and Ryazan regions).
These lived at the end of the Pleistocene and at the beginning of the Holocene, that is, in the period from 400 thousand to 7700 years ago. Megaloceros giganteus probably belonged to the so-called megafauna of the Pleistocene and early Holocene. In particular, they lived next to him saber tooth tigers, bears and smilodon, as well as mammoths and hairy rhinoceroses, which together with him formed the group of the largest herbivores of that period.
Description of a giant animal
The size of the big-horned deer significantly exceeded the size of modern deer. In appearance, he rather resembled the well-known moose. A strong physique is more a pattern than an exception. There is nothing surprising about it, because the animal had to carry its huge horns, and this requires a mountain of muscles and a strong bone. Its body structure was similar to the Alaskan moose (Latin: Alces alces gigas), which is currently considered the largest living representative of the genus. Bighorn deer reached about 2.1 m in height at the withers. Despite their huge size, he ate the same food as today's deer. From rock paintings created by ancient people of the Pleistocene and Holocene eras, it is clear that they often met with this giant and even hunted him.
Antlers of a giant deer
The impressive antlers of the giant deer spanned about three meters. The largest antlers of this deer, found during archaeological excavations, reached 3.65 m and weighed almost 40 kg! This fact so unusual and unique that even several various theories their evolution. Some scientists are of the opinion that in an animal this is the result of harsh natural selection. Males actively used the formations on their heads in the fight for the attention of females. Thus, only the largest and strongest individuals survived and gave birth to offspring.
Another theory is that the Irish deer became extinct because of its antlers. At a certain point, they reached very bulky sizes and began to interfere with the usual way of life. Scientists say the reason for the extinction of the species is the encroachment of forests on the open spaces where it probably lived. The horns interfered with the animal while passing through dense thickets and forests, because of this he often got stuck and could not get out. The deer became easy prey for predators, who eventually exterminated them.
Later scientific research
This evolutionary theory was formulated by scientists a long time ago. However, it was not until 1974 that it was examined in more detail in a study of Megaloceros by Stephen Jay Gould. He proved that the big-horned deer had really large and disproportionate antlers. This was probably a consequence of allometry, that is, uneven growth. As a result, the proportions of the body were disrupted.
Gould discovered that big size horns and, in general, the possibility of their appearance in Megaloceros giganteus were determined by evolutionary selection. However, the horns, in his opinion, were poorly suited for competitive fights between males of this extinct species. They probably served only to intimidate rivals. Apparently, unlike other deer, Megaloceros giganteus could not even turn its head to demonstrate its superiority. It was enough just that he stood and looked in front of him. In 1987, another scientist, Kitchener, provided evidence that these prehistoric animals sometimes used their huge horns to fight rival males.
We are used to seeing a cow as an ordinary domestic animal. But among many peoples and religions, the cow and its milk were considered sacred. The cow is the personification of the goddess of the sky, the nurse of the earth, who waters the fields with her milk. And the bull is the embodiment of male fruitful power. In Egyptian mythology, the god of fertility Apis was in the form of a bull.
Now domestic bulls and cows provide humans with milk, meat and hides. On average, an ordinary cow produces 15-20 liters of milk per day. Today there is a large number of breeds of cows. Some are raised for slaughter, others for high milk yield. There are also meat and dairy cows - medium-sized breeds with the same amount of milk. Some breeds of cows are bred to adapt to specific climatic conditions. Here are the strangest, rarest and most unusual breeds of cows.
Texas Longhorn
These cows come from a combination between a breed from Iberia and a breed from India. They are the owners of the most long horns. The horns grow throughout the animal's life and can reach 3 m (the record length of a longhorn that lives in an Australian park wildlife in Queensland). Despite their huge and scary horns, they are quite gentle and intelligent animals (for a cow).
Watussi or Ankole-Watusi
In countries East Africa, the offspring of Egyptian and Indian bulls were called “Watusi”, and the Ugandan tribes Nkole, gave new breed name "Ankole". The impressive horns of this breed can grow up to 2.5 meters. Proportionally, they look incredibly large, but they have a practical purpose. The large horns are used to disperse heat, and they also act as weapons for defense against predators.
Highland
Moving from the heat of Africa to the cold of the Scottish highlands, we see another breed of cow that has adapted perfectly to environment. Cows have thick, shaggy hair that retains heat and protects them from wind and rain. Plus, his wavy coat also makes him cuddly. appearance. Their wavy coat can have several color options: black, spotted, red, yellow or dun. Highlands are bred primarily for meat.
Belgian Blues
One of the strangest looking cows to come out of experimentation with beef breeds is the Belgian Blue. Because of the huge muscle mass these cows are called monster cows. Their weight is up to 900 kg. This is the meatiest breed in the world, grows quickly, and their meat is considered lean - having minimal amount fat
Zebu
Zebu are a type of large cattle, originating from South Asia. This breed is easily identified by their body type: the well-known hump as well as the "dewlap" or baggy skin that hangs from its neck. Although they are not very big 150-200 kg and produce little milk, their milk has a high percentage of fat content ranging from 5.5% to 8%. Adult zebu also provide good plantar leather.
Braman
American Brahman - the breed was developed in India and descended from Indian Zebu. They have many similarities to their ancestors: a distinctive hump and a noticeable dewlap. But, at the same time, the breed is distinguished by unusually long ears. Zebu are perfectly adapted to high temperature air and hot sun rays, they are very hardy.
Dexter
Just as there are miniature horses, there are miniature cows. This is very rare breed, considered the tiniest among European cows, cows grow to only 1 meter at the withers. But they don't get divorced just because of their charming looking. Their small size makes them excellent option for small farms. Their small size makes mini cows more pliable, manageable, less aggressive and easier to care for. And in return you get an average amount of meat and high quality milk.
Galloway
Another charming and unusual breed of cattle is the Galloway. These small cows have fairly thick, coarse coats that provide excellent protection against unfavorable conditions highlands of Scotland. Galloway cows have the highest percentage of calf survival. Although they are born small and grow slowly in the first months.
Jersey breed
The Jersey breed also refers to mini-cows that do not grow more than 1-1.2 meters at the withers. Like other small breeds, they were bred for small farms that don't need a lot of milk or meat, or don't have a lot of space. They also do not require high costs in feeding and care. The Jersey breed is no different from its ordinary relatives, except for its size. Weighing only 350-400 kg, cows produce a large amount of milk - annual milk yield sometimes reaches 4500 liters, and with excellent care it can reach 11000 liters. At the same time, milk fat content will never be below 5%.
Panda - p eared cows
A particularly rare breed of panda cows. The cow is known for its markings, which give it an impressive appearance ‒ giant panda. There are only about 30 individuals worldwide. They are so rare that when a calf is born it is always big news in the newspapers and on television. A pair of these cow pandas live at the Woodland Zoo in Seattle, Washington.
If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.
At the end of the year, it is customary to sum up the results and name the record holders. There are record holders in the animal world as well. We have collected for our readers Interesting Facts about animals that have become record holders among their fellows.
1. Ram with the longest wool in the world
More than 40 kilograms of wool were shorn from a ram named Chris, who lived on a farm near the Australian capital of Canberra. The animal could barely walk under the weight of its own fur. As experts have calculated, before this the ram went unshorn for more than five years. This is how the record of the previous ram fell (almost 29 kilograms of wool were shorn from an animal named Big Ben in New Zealand in 2014).
2. The longest horns on a bull
Joe Sedlacek of Greenleaf, Kansas, has every reason to be proud: his Texas Longhorn bull, Lazy Bluegrass, set a world record for horns that grew almost 3 meters. Sedlacek said that the last 5 or 6 generations of bulls in the Bluegrass pedigree were distinguished by very long horns.
3. The tallest cow in the world
The 190-centimeter cow named Blossom was recognized as the tallest in the world. Although the 900-kilogram record holder is no longer alive, she managed to get into the Guinness Book of Records in 2014, a month before her death. Average weight a mature cow of this breed (Holstein) weighs 680 kg, and they produce more than 32,000 liters of milk per year.
4. A dog has the longest ears
Harbor, an 8-year-old red mottled coonhound from Boulder, Colorado, has earned a Guinness World Record for having the most long ears among dogs. The length of his left and right ears is 31 and 34 cm, respectively. Interestingly, the span of his ears is greater than his height. short man in the world, Junri Balavinga (60 cm).
5. Dog and skate
An English bulldog named Otto has set a new world record for the "longest human tunnel traveled by a dog on a skateboard." The 3-year-old dog bravely rolled between the spread legs of 30 people. The record was set in Peru as part of the celebration world day Guinness World Records in 2015.
6. The world's fastest turtle
A tortoise from Durham, North Carolina, left her competitors far behind during the race, winning the title of the fastest in the world. Bertie can run at a speed of 1 km/h, which is twice as fast as a normal turtle. She managed to complete the 100-meter race in just six minutes.
7. Most basketballs thrown by a parrot
Julie and Ed Cardoza are the owners of Zach, a 25-year-old parrot who can play basketball. Parrot holds the world record for most slam dunks in a minute. He also holds the record for the most soda cans opened with his beak in 60 seconds.
8. The biggest snake
A 7.67-meter reticulated python named Medusa from Kansas City, Missouri is the most long snake kept in captivity. The 8-year-old, 158.8-pound reptile usually lies in a corner of the haunted house attraction called Hell's Edge. Medusa's main diet consists of rabbits, pigs and deer, which are brought to her once every two weeks.
9. The dog with the biggest eyes
Bruski is a four-year-old black and white Boston Terrier from Texas. He holds the Guinness World Record for "dog with the most big eyes" - their diameter is as much as 28 mm.
10. The smallest cow in the world
In 2014, a six-year-old cow named Manikyam was officially listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the smallest cow in the world (her height is only 61.5 cm). The previous record was 69.07 cm. The tiny cow lives in Atoli, in the south of the Indian state of Kerala.
For a good pre-holiday mood -
Loading...
