Who is bigger elephant or shark 2. The heaviest animal in the world. How much do a blue whale, an elephant and a hippopotamus weigh. Great white shark
Our world is truly amazing. It is full of beings big and small, low and high. Today we bring you an unusually interesting selection. It contains photographs of the fifteen largest animals in the world, broken down into different categories such as mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, etc. Some of these animals are real giants!
1. The largest animal in the world is the blue (or blue) whale.
The blue whale, also called the blue whale or the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), is a marine mammal that belongs to the order Cetacea to the suborder Baleen whales. At 30 meters (98 feet) long and 180 metric tons or more in weight, it is the largest known animal to have ever lived on our planet. The tongue of a blue whale can weigh up to about 2.7 tons (5,952 pounds), which is about the weight of a medium-sized Asian elephant. The blue whale's heart weighs about 600 kilograms (1,300 pounds) and is the largest such organ of any living creature. The heart of a blue whale is not only the size of a small car, but it also weighs about the same as the mentioned car. And the lung capacity of a blue whale exceeds 3,000 liters.
2. The blue whale is thought to feed almost exclusively on small shrimp-like creatures known as krill.
3. The basis of the diet of the blue whale is plankton. Thanks to their filtering apparatus, which consists of baleen plates, the blue whale can consume a whopping 3.6 metric tons (7,900 pounds) or more daily during the summer months.
4. This means that it can eat up to 40 million krill per day, while the daily calorie requirement of an adult blue whale is in the region of 1.5 million. kcal.
6. The largest land animal in the world: African elephant. The African elephant is the largest land animal. Male African elephants are 6 to 7.5 meters (19.7 to 24.6 ft) long, 3.3 m (10.8 ft) tall at the withers, and can weigh up to 6 tons (13,000 lb). Female African elephants are much smaller, averaging 5.4 to 6.9 m (17.7 to 22.6 ft) long, 2.7 meters (8.9 ft) high at the withers, and weighing up to reach 3 tons (6600 pounds). Adult African elephants generally have no enemies in their natural habitat due to their extremely large size, but baby elephants (especially newborns) are one of the favorite prey species for bloodthirsty attacks by lions or crocodiles, and are also often attacked by leopards or hyenas. According to the latest data, in the wild, the population of African elephants ranges from 500 to 600 thousand individuals.
7. The tallest land animal in the world: the giraffe.
The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is an African mammal from the artiodactyl order of the giraffidae family. It is the tallest land animal in the world. its height averages 5–6 meters (16–20 ft). Male giraffes have an average weight of 1,600 kilograms (3,500 lb), while females can weigh around 830 kilograms (1,800 lb). A distinguishing characteristic of the giraffe is its very long neck, which can reach over 2 meters (6 ft 7 in) in length. Actually, the neck accounts for almost half of the vertical height of the animal. The long neck is the result of a disproportionate elongation of the cervical vertebrae, and not an increase in the number of vertebrae, of which the giraffe, like almost all other mammals, has only seven.
8. The largest predator in the world: the southern elephant seal.
The southern elephant seal is the largest carnivore on our planet. The size of the southern elephant seal is evidence of extreme sexual dimorphism, the most significant of any mammal, as male southern elephant seals are typically five to six times heavier than females. While females can average 400 to 900 kilograms (880 to 2,000 lb) and be 2.6 to 3 meters (8.5 to 9.8 ft) long, southern elephant seal males average approximately 2,200 to 4,000 kg (4,900 to 8,800 lb) and can reach 4.5 to 5.8 meters (15 to 19 ft) in length. The record-breaking southern elephant seal, shot at Possession Bay, South Georgia on February 28, 1913, measured 6.85 meters (22.5 feet) in length and is estimated to have weighed approximately 5,000 kilograms (11,000 pounds).
Southern marines can dive multiple times while hunting, staying submerged for more than twenty minutes each time, tracking their prey, squid and fish, at depths of 400 to 1,000 meters (1,300 to 3,300 ft). The documented record for the longest time underwater for a juvenile elephant seal was approximately two hours. The maximum depth to which southern elephant seals can dive is over 1,400 meters (4,600 ft).
9. The largest land predator in the world: Polar bear and Kodiak bear.
The world's largest terrestrial predators are the white polar bear (Ursus maritimus) and the Kodiak brown bear (Ursus arctos). If everything is more or less clear with the white polar bear, then the Kodiak bear is less known.
10. Kodiak is a subspecies of brown bears that are found on Kodiak Island and other islands of the Kodiak archipelago off the southern coast of Alaska. Since the polar white bear and the Kodiak brown bear have approximately the same body size, it is not clear which of them actually ranks first in size. In both species, the height at the withers is over 1.6 meters (5.2 ft), and the total body length can reach 3.05 m (10.0 ft). The absolute weight records for a polar bear and a brown bear were 1,003 kg (2,210 lb) and 1,135 kg (2,500 lb), respectively.
11. The largest reptile in the world: Saltwater (combed or spongy) crocodile.
The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the largest living reptile in the world. The habitat of combed crocodiles is from Northern Australia to Southeast Asia and the east coast of India. An adult male saltwater crocodile can weigh between 409 and 1,000 kilograms (900–2,200 lb) and is typically 4.1 to 5.5 meters (13–18 ft) long. However, males can exceed 6 meters (20 ft) in length and sometimes weigh over 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). Saltwater crocodile is the only crocodile species that regularly reaches a length of 4.8 m (16 ft) and even exceeds this mark. The saltwater crocodile is an active predator that feeds mainly on insects, mollusks, amphibians, crustaceans, small reptiles and fish. However, it attacks almost any animal that is in its territory, either in water or on land. The crocodile always drags the victim, which he watches over on land, into the water, where it is more difficult for her to resist him.
12. The largest amphibian in the world: the Chinese giant salamander.
The Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) is the largest salamander in the world. Individual individuals of the Chinese giant salamander can reach a length of 180 centimeters (6 feet), although at present such giants are extremely rare. This species is endemic to mountain rivers and lakes in China. One of the conditions necessary for the survival of the Chinese giant salamander is clean and very cold water.
13. To date, this species is considered endangered due to habitat destruction, pollution and targeted destruction, since the meat of the giant amphibian is considered a delicacy and is used in traditional Chinese medicine.
14. Largest rabbit / hare in the world: "Belgian flandre". The Belgian Flemish is an ancient breed of domesticated rabbit that originates from the Flemish region.
15. They were first bred back in the sixteenth century in the vicinity of the city of Ghent, Belgium. Belgian Flemish rabbits can weigh up to 12.7 kilograms (28 pounds).
16. The largest bat in the world: the giant golden flying fox. In the photo: a giant golden flying fox. Spectacled flying fox.
The largest of all bat species is the giant golden flying fox (Acerodon jubatus), an endangered bat species from the rainforests of the Philippines, which is part of the fruit bat family. The basis of the diet of giant golden flying foxes is fruits. The maximum weight of giant golden flying foxes can be 1.5 kg (3.3 lb), they can be up to 55 centimeters (22 in) long, and their wingspan can be nearly 1.8 meters (5.9 ft). The giant flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus) is inferior to the golden flying fox in terms of body weight and length, but is ahead of it in wingspan. Scientists have recorded individuals with a wingspan ranging from 1.83 meters (6.0 feet) to 2 meters (6.6 feet).
17. The largest rodent in the world: capybara.
The largest of the existing rodents is the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), a species that is found along the shores of various reservoirs in tropical and temperate parts of Central and South America, east of the Andes - from Panama to Uruguay to northeast Argentina. One of the main conditions for the existence of capybaras is the presence of a nearby reservoir.
18. The largest specimens of capybaras can reach 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) in length and 0.9 meters (3.0 feet) in height at the withers. They can weigh up to 105.4 kg (232 lb). This is a very active species. Capybaras are social animals that live in groups of up to a hundred individuals, but the average number of one colony is 10-20 individuals on average.
19. Largest bony fish in the world: common moonfish (sunfish, headfish).
Osteichthyes, also called "bony fish", are a taxonomic group of fish that have bony, not cartilaginous, skeletons. The vast majority of fish belong to the species Osteichthyes. This is an extremely diverse and numerous group, which consists of more than 29,000 species. This is the most numerous class of vertebrates that currently exists.
20. The largest representative of bony fish is the widespread common moonfish (sunfish, fishhead) or Mola Mola. She has an extremely strange body shape - it is laterally compressed, very high and short, which gives the fish an outlandish appearance and a shape similar to a disk. In fact, it does not have a body as such - a sunfish is literally a "head with a tail." A mature Common Fishhead has an average length of 1.8 meters (5.9 ft), a width from fin to fin of up to 2.5 meters (8.2 ft), and an average weight of 1,000 kilograms (2,200 lb). However, scientists have recorded individuals that can be up to 3.3 meters (10.8 feet) long and 4.2 meters (14 feet) across. The weight of such giants can reach 2,300 kilograms (5,100 pounds).
21. Largest lizard/snake in the world: giant green anaconda.
The giant anaconda, sometimes also called the green anaconda (Eunectes murinus), is a species of snake in the boa subfamily. It lives in the tropical part of South America east of the Andes, Paraguay, Northern Bolivia, French Guiana. The maximum recorded body length is 7.5 meters (25 feet), and the maximum recorded weight reaches 250 kilograms (550 pounds), although there are rumors of much larger green anacondas. The reticulated python (Python reticulatus) from Southeast Asia is longer in body length but thinner, and members of this species have been reported to reach a maximum of 9.7 meters (32 ft) in length.
22. The world's largest bird: ostrich.
The ostrich, the largest bird on our planet (Struthio camelus), is found on the plains of Africa and Arabia. The scientific name of the ostrich in Greek means "camel sparrow". A large male ostrich can reach a height of 2.8 meters (9.2 feet), and weigh over 156 kilograms (345 pounds). Ostrich eggs can weigh up to 1.4 kilograms (3 pounds) and are the largest bird eggs in the world today. Ostriches can run at a top speed of up to 97.5 km/h (60.6 mph), making the ostrich the fastest bird on earth and the fastest bipedal creature in the world.
The Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) is a member of the Pelican family. The habitat of curly pelicans is a significant area from Southeast Europe to India and China. Dalmatian pelicans inhabit swamps and shallow lakes. It is the largest of the pelicans, averaging 160-180 centimeters (63-70 inches) in length, and weighing 11-15 kilograms (24-33 pounds). The wingspan of the curly pelican is just over 3 meters (10 ft). An average weight of 11.5 kilograms (25 lb) makes the Dalmatian Pelican the heaviest flying bird. Although a large male bustard or swan may exceed the pelican in maximum weight.
24. The largest arthropod in the world: Japanese spider crab.
The Japanese spider crab is a type of sea crab that lives in the waters off the coast of Japan. In the span of the first pair of legs, it reaches 3.8 meters (12 feet), and can weigh up to 41 pounds (19 kilograms).
26. In its natural habitat, the Japanese spider crab feeds on shellfish and animal carcasses and can live up to 100 years.
The second largest of the existing sharks again scares the Italians.
Yesterday, April 22, in the afternoon, two vacationers on the Italian coast were “lucky” to see one of the largest sharks on the planet with their own eyes. A giant shark (Cetorhinus maximus) swam between the island of Gallinara and the city of Albenga. According to eyewitnesses, the giant "jaws" moved in the direction of the port of Loano, in Albengo. The elephant shark has already become interested in a specialized center for the study of cetaceans: its specialists are checking how much a specimen that has appeared on the coast can pose a danger to humans.
Giant elephant shark is the second largest of the sharks now preserved on Earth and is inferior in size only to the whale. This species belongs to the category of endangered. Its laterally compressed snout sometimes hangs over its mouth, like a trunk, and its laterally flattened head makes the shark look like an elephant. The mass of such a "fish" can reach 10 tons, and the length is 14 meters. Fortunately, huge individuals are extremely rare, but even small representatives of the species, from 4 to 8 meters long and weighing up to 6 tons, are not a sight for the faint of heart. The giant shark is prone to a sedentary lifestyle, its speed of movement is 3 - 5 km / h. Sometimes in places of accumulation of plankton, representatives of this species gather in small flocks. A few gaping-mouthed elephant sharks cruising the surface can strike fear into anyone. But ichthyologists reassure: giant sharks are not dangerous to humans, because they are not predators and feed exclusively on plankton. Their stomach can hold up to a ton of plankton, but their teeth do not grow more than 5 mm.
The length of the elephant shark seen yesterday on the Ligurian coast did not exceed 4 meters, that is, it had a rather miniature size. Although eyewitnesses hardly thought so. On the other hand, this is not the first time that basking sharks have appeared in Italy. And tour operators in the entertainment program, in addition to clear waters and golden beaches, fit to include the opportunity to see the endangered species of giant sharks in their natural habitat.
Among animals, as, indeed, among people, there are champions worthy of getting into the Guinness Book of Records. Some of them are recognized as the strongest, others - the fastest. And some can only boast of their huge weight or number of teeth. But today we are only interested in one category, which we will discuss below.
There are many land and sea creatures on Earth that can compete for the title. heaviest animal in the world. If you ask passers-by on the street which animal is the heaviest, you can hear a variety of answers: an elephant and a buffalo, a whale and a shark, a hippopotamus and even a giraffe. But in this article, we must name the only terrestrial inhabitant whose weight and size significantly exceeds the parameters of competitors. You will find out how much an elephant and a hippopotamus weigh, and whether they can be considered the heaviest. First, let's get acquainted with some giants that live on land.
Kodiak bear
This is not the heaviest land animal, but I would like to mention it in our review. A subspecies which in many countries is under state protection. The average weight of a male exceeds 700 kilograms, and that of a female - 300 kilograms. At the same time, it must be said that cases have been recorded when the weight of the kodiak exceeded a ton.
White (polar) bear
It is the heaviest carnivore that lives on land. The largest polar bear weighed a little over a ton and had a body length of about three meters. The height of the predator standing on its paws was 3.39 m. The average body length of male polar bears is about two and a half meters, the height at the withers is up to one and a half meters, and the average weight reaches eight hundred kilograms. Bears are about half the size of males, their weight does not exceed 300 kilograms. It is interesting that a hundred thousand years ago (during the Pleistocene era) a huge polar bear lived on earth, whose weight exceeded 1.2 tons, and its size was four meters in length.
Hippopotamus
This is one of the largest and heaviest animals living on Earth. The weight of large males often exceeds four tons, so the hippopotamus is a worthy competitor to the rhinoceros in the fight for second place in terms of mass among terrestrial inhabitants.
Now the hippopotamus in natural conditions is found only in Africa, south of the Sahara, although in ancient times, for example, it had a wider range. This giant lived in North Africa, and scientists believe that he lived in the Middle East. However, by the early Middle Ages, it was destroyed in these regions. In 2006, the International Union for Conservation of Nature recognized the hippopotamus as vulnerable.
The number of these animals at that time did not exceed one hundred and fifty thousand heads. The natives of Africa destroy hippos primarily for the sake of meat, so bloody wars and instability in many countries of the continent force starving people to look for food, thereby causing great damage to the animal population.
African elephant
This is the heaviest animal in the world that lives on land. From brothers living on other continents, he differs not only in body weight, but also in huge ears, which help him feel most comfortable under the rays of the scorching African sun.
The tusks of these giants are highly valued. It was they who nearly became the cause of the complete extermination of elephants. A huge number of animals were killed for expensive trophies. The situation with the disappearance of the population was saved by nature reserves and national parks.
The weight of African elephants is impressive: adult males weigh more than 7.5 tons, but at the same time, the heaviest land animal is very mobile, swims well and feels confident even on rocky terrain. African elephants are herbivores. They feed on young shoots of trees and shrubs, grass. An adult absorbs up to one hundred kilograms of green mass per day. Animals form small herds of 9-14 individuals. In addition to humans, elephants have no enemies in nature.
Knowing how much an elephant and a hippopotamus weigh, different ones can easily determine the leader by body weight. This is, of course, the African elephant, which is the heaviest land animal. It's time to get acquainted with the underwater inhabitants. Perhaps the heaviest animal in the world lives in the depths of the sea.
whale shark
This is the largest shark among its relatives. Despite the impressive size (up to twenty meters) and impressive weight (up to twenty tons), this is not the heaviest. Representatives of this species live in the southern and northern seas. Northern individuals are much larger.
This gray-brown giant, covered with white spots, the location of which is unique to each individual, lives for about seventy years. They feed by filtering out plankton and filtering the water. During the day, the shark passes 350 tons of water and eats more than two hundred kilograms of plankton. The mouth of this "fish" can accommodate up to five people, its jaws are strewn with fifteen thousand small teeth.
But these inhabitants of the depths are never the first to attack a person, and many scuba divers even touch them. Whale sharks are little studied and very slow. Their number is small, so the species is listed in the Red Book.
sperm whale - toothed whale
Another very large, but not the heaviest animal. The weight of an adult male is about seventy tons, and its body length reaches twenty meters. The body shape of the sperm whale (in the form of a drop) allows it to make long journeys in a short time (during the migration period).
Sperm whales, unlike whales, live in groups of up to 150 animals. The representative of the species has a huge rectangular head, compressed on the sides. It makes up a third of the entire body of the whale. Below is a mouth with cone-shaped teeth. In these animals, the lower jaw is mobile and can open almost 90 degrees, which helps to capture rather large prey.
Sperm whales (sperm whales) have one blowhole located in front of the head. It is slightly shifted to the left. Sperm whales feed on cephalopods and fish. But at the same time, they can attack seals, dive to the bottom for squid, crabs, sponges and mollusks, descending to a depth of more than 400 meters.
The blue whale is the heaviest animal
This is really the largest animal on our planet. The length of the body reaches thirty meters, and the mass of the blue whale is 180 tons and more. The females are slightly larger than the males.
It's hard to imagine, but the tongue of this sea giant weighs about 2.7 tons, which is comparable to the weight of an Indian elephant. The blue whale has the largest heart among mammals: it weighs 900 kilograms. To imagine its dimensions, look at the Mini Cooper car. They are comparable in size and weight.
The heaviest animal in the world has an elongated and rather slender body. On a huge head are disproportionately small eyes. The pointed muzzle has a wide lower jaw. The blue whale has a blowhole, from which, when exhaling, it releases a fountain of water, reaching a height of 10 meters. In front of the blowhole there is a well-marked longitudinal ridge - the so-called breakwater.
This giant has a dorsal fin that is strongly shifted back. Compared to its body size, it is quite small and triangular in shape. Its rear edge is covered with scratches, forming an individual pattern for each whale.
Physiological features
The sense of smell and vision of the blue whale are rather poorly developed. But the sense of touch and hearing are excellent. Representatives of this species of whales have a huge lung capacity, and the amount of blood exceeds eight thousand liters. Despite its impressive size, the blue whale has a narrow throat with a diameter of only ten centimeters. The pulse of this is 5-10 beats per minute and rarely rises to 20 beats.
The skin of the blue whale is even and smooth, except for the stripes on the belly and throat. These animals are practically not overgrown with crustaceans, which often settle on other whales in large numbers. The color of the animal is predominantly gray with a blue tint. The head and lower jaw are usually painted in a darker and more intense gray.