Top 15 Largest Animal

Our world is full of creatures big and small, short and tall. Below the list of 15 largest animals in the world, classified by various categories such as mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians etc. There’s an incredibly detailed list of some of the world’s largest organisms (including plants, fungi, bacteria, etc.) on Wikipedia, check it out if you enjoy lists as much as we do. For now, enjoy these fifteen fascinating animals.



The Largest Animal Ever: The Blue Whale






The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a marine mammal belonging to the suborder of baleen whales. At 30 metres (98 ft) in length and 180 metric tons (200 short tons) or more in weight, it is the largest known animal to have ever existed. The Blue Whale’s tongue weighs around 2.7 metric tons (5,952 pounds), about the size of an average Asian Elephant and its heart weighs about 600 kg (1,300 lb) and is the largest known in any animal. Not only is the heart similar size to a mini-cooper car but also comparable in weight.

The Blue Whale is thought to feed almost exclusively on small, shrimp-like creatures called Krill. During the summer feeding season the Blue Whale gorges itself, consuming an astounding 3.6 metric tons (7,900 pounds) or more each day. This means it may eat up to 40 million krill a day with a daily calorie requirement of an adult Blue Whale in the region of 1.5 million.



The Heaviest Land Animal in the World: The African Bush Elephant


The African Bush Elephant is the largest living terrestrial (land) animal, with males reaching 6 to 7.5 metres (19.7 to 24.6 ft) in length, 3.3 metres (10.8 ft) in height at the shoulder, and weighing 6 t (13,000 lb). Females are much smaller, reaching 5.4 to 6.9 metres (17.7 to 22.6 ft) in length, 2.7 metres (8.9 ft) in height at the shoulder, and weighing 3 t (6,600 lb). The adult African bush elephant generally has no natural predators due to its great size, but the calves (especially the newborn) are vulnerable to lion and crocodile attacks, and (rarely) to leopard and hyena attacks.



The Tallest Land Animal in the World: The Giraffe


The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is an African even-toed ungulate mammal and the tallest living terrestrial animal in the world. It stands 5–6 m (16–20 ft) tall and has an average weight of 1,600 kg (3,500 lb) for males and 830 kg (1,800 lb) for females. The giraffe has an extremely elongated neck, which can be over 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in length, accounting for nearly half of the animal’s vertical height. The long neck results from a disproportionate lengthening of the cervical vertebrae, not from the addition of more vertebrae.



The Largest Carnivore in the World: The Southern Elephant Seal


The Southern elephant seal is the largest carnivore living today. This seals’ size shows extreme sexual dimorphism, possibly the largest of any mammal, with the males typically five to six times heavier than the females. While the females average 400 to 900 kilograms (880 to 2,000 lb) and 2.6 to 3 meters (8.5 to 9.8 ft) long, the bulls average 2,200 to 4,000 kilograms (4,900 to 8,800 lb) and 4.5 to 5.8 meters (15 to 19 ft) long. The record-sized bull, shot in Possession Bay, South Georgia on February 28, 1913, measured 6.85 meters (22.5 ft) long and was estimated to weigh 5,000 kilograms (11,000 lb).

Southern elephant seals dive repeatedly, each time for more than twenty minutes, to hunt their prey—squid and fish— at depths of 400 to 1,000 meters (1,300 to 3,300 ft). The documented diving records for the seals are nearly two hours for the duration, and more than 1,400 meters (4,600 ft) in depth.



The Largest Land Carnivores in the World: The Polar Bear and Kodiak Bear




The largest living land carnivores are the Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) and the kodiak bear, a Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) subspecies. Since they have similar body sizes, it is not clear which is definitively larger. In both species, shoulder height has been measured at more than 1.6 m (5.2 ft) and total length at as much as to 3.05 m (10.0 ft). The heaviest polar and brown bear weights recorded were respectively 1,003 kg (2,210 lb) and 1,135 kg (2,500 lb).



The Largest Reptile in the World: The Saltwater Crocodile



The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), is the largest of all living reptiles. It is found in suitable habitats from Northern Australia through Southeast Asia to the eastern coast of India. An adult male saltwater crocodile’s weight is 409 to 1,000 kilograms (900–2,200 lb) and length is normally 4.1 to 5.5 metres (13–18 ft). However, mature males can exceed 6 metres (20 ft) and weigh more than 1,000 kilograms (2,200 lb) and this species is the only extant crocodilian to regularly reach or exceed 4.8 metres (16 ft). The saltwater crocodile is an opportunistic apex predator capable of taking nearly any animal that enters its territory, either in the water or on dry land.



The Largest Amphibian in the World: The Chinese Giant Salamander




The Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) is the largest salamander in the world, reaching a length of 180 cm (6 ft), although it rarely – if ever – reaches that size today. Endemic to rocky mountain streams and lakes in China, it is considered critically endangered due to habitat loss, pollution, and over-collecting, as it is considered a delicacy and used in traditional Chinese medicine.



The Largest Rabbit/Hare in the World: The Flemish Giant




The Flemish Giant is an old breed of domesticated rabbits, originating from the Flemish region. They have been bred as early as the 16th century around the city of Ghent, Belgium. The rabbits can weigh up to 12.7 kg (28 pounds).



The Largest Bats in the World: The Giant golden-crowned flying fox

Golden Crowned Flying Fox


Spectacled Flying Fox

The largest bat species is the Giant golden-crowned flying fox (Acerodon jubatus), an endangered fruit bat from the rainforests of the Philippines that is part of the megabat family. The maximum size is believed to approach 1.5 kg (3.3 lb), 55 cm (22 in) long, and the wingspan may be almost 1.8 m (5.9 ft). The Large Flying Fox (Pteropus vampyrus) is smaller in body mass and length, but it has been known to exceed the Golden-crowned species in wingspan. Specimens have been verified to 1.83 m (6.0 ft) and possibly up to 2 m (6.6 ft) in wingspan.



The Largest Rodent in the World: The Capybara




The largest living rodent is the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), native to most of the tropical and temperate parts of South America east of the Andes, always near water. Full-grown capybaras can reach 1.5 m (4.9 ft) long and 0.9 m (3.0 ft) tall at the shoulder and a maximum weight of 105.4 kg (232 lb). It is a highly social species and can be found in groups as large as 100 individuals, but usually live in groups of 10–20 individuals.



The Largest Bony Fish in the World: The Ocean Sunfish




Osteichthyes, also called bony fish, are a taxonomic group of fish that have bony, as opposed to cartilaginous, skeletons. The vast majority of fish are osteichthyes, which is an extremely diverse and abundant group consisting of over 29,000 species. It is the largest class of vertebrates in existence today.

The largest living bony fish is the widely distributed ocean sunfish (Mola mola). It resembles a fish head with a tail, and its main body is flattened laterally. The mature ocean sunfish has an average length of 1.8 m (5.9 ft), a fin-to-fin length of 2.5 m (8.2 ft) and an average weight of 1,000 kg (2,200 lb), although individuals up to 3.3 m (10.8 ft) in length 4.2 m (14 ft) across the fins and weighing up to 2,300 kg (5,100 lb) have been observed.



The Largest Lizard/Snake in the World: The Green Anaconda


The most massive living member of this giant reptilian order is the Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus) of the neotropical riverways. The maximum verified size is 7.5 m (25 ft) and 250 kg (550 lb), although rumors of larger anacondas persist. The Reticulated Python (Python reticulatus) of Southeast Asia is longer but more slender, and has been reported to measure as much as 9.7 m (32 ft) in length.



The Largest Bird in the World: The Ostrich


The largest living bird is the ostrich (Struthio camelus), from the plains of Africa and Arabia. A large male ostrich can reach a height of 2.8 m (9.2 ft), weighing over 156 kg (345 lb). Eggs laid by the Ostrich can weigh 1.4 kg (3 lb) and are the largest eggs in the world today. They can also run at maximum speeds of about 97.5 km/h (60.6 mph), making it both the fastest bird on land and the fastest two-legged animal in the world.



The Heaviest Flying Bird in the World: The Dalmatian Pelican


The Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) is a member of the pelican family. It breeds from southeastern Europe to India and China in swamps and shallow lakes. This is the largest of the pelicans, averaging 160–180 cm (63-70 inches) in length, 11–15 kg (24-33 lbs) in weight and just over 3 m (10 ft) in wingspan. With a mean weight of 11.5 kg (25 lb), it is the world’s heaviest flying bird species on average, although large male bustards and swans can exceed the pelican in maximum weight.



The Largest Arthropod in the World: The Japanese spider crab




The Japanese spider crab is a species of marine crab that lives in the waters around Japan. It has the largest leg span of any arthropod, reaching up to 3.8 metres (12 ft) and weighing up to 41 pounds (19 kg). In its natural habitat, the Japanese spider crab feeds on shellfish and animal carcasses and may live for up to 100 years.





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Amazing Strength of Trees

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Top 10 Bizarre Lakes in the World

1. Lakes of Varying Colors - Kelimutu Lakes, Indonesia

Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai and Tiwu Ata Polo

Kelimutu is a volcano, close to the town of Moni in central Flores Island of Indonesia containing three summit crater lakes of varying colors. The first lake is named Tiwu Ata Mbupu (lake of people spirits), the second is named Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai (lake of young people spirits), and the third is Tiwu Ata Polo (lake of fortune tellers spirits).



The first and second lakes are situated close together, while the third lake is about 1.5 km to the west. The colour of the water in each lake is different and the colours change from time to time, particularly that of Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai Lake: twenty-five years ago, its water changed colour twelve times. Thought to be caused by the volcanic activity of Kelimutu, it has also been suggested that the changes in colour are due to refraction of the sun's rays, microbiota in the water, dissolution of chemical substances, and the reflection of the colour of the lake walls and bottom.



2. Boiling Lake, Dominica


Dominica's Boiling Lake is situated in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park - Dominica's World Heritage site. It is a flooded fumarole 6.5 miles (10.5 km) east of Roseau, Dominica. It is filled with bubbling greyish-blue water that is usually enveloped in a cloud of vapour. The lake is approximately 200 ft (60 m) across.


Eggs cooked in a lake

The water temperature reaches over 92°C, although during the rainy season, it is cool down by 10° with the runoff of water that collects from the surrounding hills. Dominica's Boiling Lake is the second largest hot lake in the world. The largest is Frying Pan Lake, located in Waimangu Valley near Rotorua, New Zealand.



3. Exploding Lakes - Monoun, Nyos, Kivu Lake - Central Africa

Lake Nyos

Lake overturn is a rare type of natural disaster in which carbon dioxide (CO2) suddenly erupts from deep lake water, suffocating wildlife, livestock and humans. Such an eruption may also cause tsunamis in the lake as the rising CO2 displaces water. Scientists believe landslides, volcanic activity, or explosions can trigger such an eruption. Lakes in which such activity occurs may be known as exploding lakes.


Figure After Nyos Lake Explosion

A tragic phenomenon occurred in Cameroon in the mid 1980s. The first event happened in 1984, when 37 people near Lake Monoun, lost their lives suddenly. The second event, however, was much more tragic. In August 1986, Lake Nyos released a cloud of carbon dioxide (CO2) which hugged the ground and flowed down surrounding valleys to suffocate thousands of local villagers and animals. Overall, more than 1,700 people lost their lives even being 26 km away from the lake. A third lake, Lake Kivu, on the Congo-Rwanda border in Central Africa, is also known to act as a reservoir of carbon dioxide and methane. These three lakes contain very high concentrations of CO2 in their depths and can be dangerous for thousands of people who live around it. If Lake Kivu will explode, over two million people who live around it would be in danger.



4. Highest Elevation Lake - Ojos del Salado, Argentina/Chile

The highest lake in the world is on Ojos del Salado, the world’s highest volcano. Ojos del Salado is located on the border between Argentina and Chile and is the second tallest peak in South America. The crater lake is located at 20,965 feet (6,390m) above sea level and is approximately 300 feet (100m) in diameter.



5. Jellyfish Lake, Palau

Jellyfish Lake is located on one of Palau’s Rock Islands. Millions of jellyfish live in the lake, living through a symbiotic relationship with algae. El Niño events occur about once every decade tends to raise the temperature of the lake and this can cause the death of jellyfish populations.



6. Most Polluted Lake - Karachay, Russia

Lake Karachay is a small lake in the southern Ural mountains in western Russia. Starting in 1951 the Soviet Union used Karachay as a dumping site for radioactive waste from Mayak, the nearby nuclear waste storage and reprocessing facility, located near the town of Ozyorsk. By some estimates, the lake has accumulated roughly 4.44 exabecquerels (EBq) of radioactivity. By comparison, the Chernobyl disaster released 5 to 12 EBq of radioactivity, although this was spread over a much larger area.



7. Landlocked Sea or Largest Lake - Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is the world's largest lake or largest inland body of water in the world, and accounts for 40 to 44 percent of the total lacustrine waters of the world. With a surface area of 394,299 km² (152,240 mi²), it has a surface area greater than the next six largest lakes combined.



8. Disappearing Lakes - Chad Lake & Aral Sea

Chad Lake

Lake Chad, located in North Africa, has decreased 95% in size since 1963. The rapid loss of the lake is the result of diversion of water for human use and lower precipitation. Many lakes around the world are suffering a similar fate as human water consumption grows.


Aral Sea

Formerly one of the four largest lakes in the world with an area of 68,000 sq km (26,300 sq mi), the Aral Sea has been steadily shrinking since the 1960s after the rivers that fed it were diverted by Soviet Union irrigation projects. By 2007 it had declined to 10% of its original size.


9. Under-Ice Lake - Vostok Lake, Antarctica

Lake Vostok Location

Lake Vostok lies under nearly 4 kilometres of solid ice (about 2,5 miles) but is warm enough to remain liquid - and this is in one of the coldest places on Earth. Lake is 250 kms long by 40 kms wide and 400 metres deep - approximately the size of Lake Ontario or half the size of Wales, making it one of the 10 biggest deep water lakes in the world. Its long and narrow shape is very similar to that of lakes that have formed in earthquake faults in other parts of the world. Since the discovery of Lake Vostok, 70 other subglacial lakes have been detected in Antarctica.



10. Asphalt Lake - Pitch Lake, Trinidad & Tobago

The Pitch Lake is the largest natural deposit of asphalt in the world, located at La Brea in southwest Trinidad. The lake covers about 40 ha and is reported to be 75 m deep. Pitch Lake is a tourist attraction that attracts about 20,000 visitors annually. It is also mined for asphalt which is exported for high-quality road construction. Pitch is an old fashioned name for tar.





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