Who is bigger in size than an elephant or a shark? Sharks. The most unusual species. The most terrible sharks! - video

You stand on the ocean shore, look at the endless expanses, and the thought involuntarily creeps in, what kind of inhabitants are hidden by the thickness of the water?

Animal world People primarily associate the seas and oceans with whales and sharks, so quite often you can hear the question, what are the largest animals in the world?

Let's try to deal with giant water monsters and identify the tallest inhabitants of the oceans and seas.

Everyone knows from childhood that the largest animal on the planet is the whale. If you believe distant ancestors, then three such animals held the Earth on their backs. Well, if we turn to science, it turns out that the largest (of those who were measured) specimen of the blue (blue) whale grew to 33.58 meters, and it was a female. The heaviest blue whale ever caught weighed over 190 tons. And then, the specialists had to weigh the record holder in parts, so the error was huge. One way or another, the result is impressive. Because 190 tons is the mass of two dozen elephants.

By the way, the blue whale is also considered the most vocal animal in the world. It can make sounds that can be heard 800 kilometers and further.

However, it is not easy for a whale to win the palm in the race for the title of the largest animal on the planet. Some other inhabitants of the planet are also involved in the dispute, which, by the way, continues today. And all of them, oddly enough, are sea inhabitants. There are even semi-mythical ones on the list, the existence of which is only guessed at. For example, megalodon. Many fans of sensations are trying to question the fact of its extinction to this day. There are even witnesses who observed giant sharks, and they say that it was not a whale or even a whale shark. But it is worth noting the real representatives of the fauna who are fighting for the title of the largest animal on Earth. More precisely, to say the longest. This giant jellyfish lion's mane or cyanide. Broadband giant water world can grow up to 37 meters (including tentacles). The diameter of the umbrella of this living creature is approximately 250 centimeters. And if we objectively evaluate these facts, then the jellyfish is longer and larger than the whale.

Another representative of the fauna of the sea does not lag behind the jellyfish. It's gigantic sea worm bootlace. In the 19th century, a worm about 55 meters long was discovered on the coast of Scotland near St. Andrews after a storm. Its width was only 10 centimeters. However, scientists did not recognize the giant as a giant. This is because worms can stretch and contract. Whale shark However, sharks also compete for the title of the largest. And which one can call itself the largest and most big fish in the World Ocean?

Now scientists assign leadership in body size to the whale shark. Experts believe that it is the largest of known to science fish However, there is still debate among scientists about the maximum size of a fish.

The documented record is 14 meters. But it is not uncommon for information to appear about the capture of a larger representative of the species. Some sharks grow to 20 meters or more. For example, in 2002, near Chinese Taiwan, fishermen caught a female weighing 34 tons and 20 meters long.

Scientists note that the difficulty in installing size limits The whale shark is not only that large specimens are quite rare in nature. In fact, this fish is listed on the IUCN Red List and fishing is prohibited. Catching an animal is punishable by law.

But this fact rarely stops poachers, since the fins of this individual alone cost tens of thousands of dollars in Asian markets. And if fishermen manage to catch a whale shark, then, of course, the catch is hidden from prying eyes and ears, especially scientists. The fish are usually cut on site, the fins and the most valuable parts of the body are trimmed, and the rest is returned to the sea.

Despite the controversy among scientists, no one denies that the whale shark is the largest modern fish that are known to science. By the way, almost nothing is known about their method of reproduction. Until recently, it was believed that sharks lay eggs. This conclusion was made after a huge egg 36 centimeters long was found at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico in 1953. And he was mistaken for the future baby whale shark. But at the end of the last century, a pregnant female was caught, inside of which there were embryos that had already hatched. Therefore, it became clear that sharks reproduce by ovoviviparity. Small sharks are already appearing with a length of 60 centimeters.

Whale shark in the waters

By the way, the largest shark that a person has caught is a whale shark. She was harpooned off the coast of Pakistan (near Baba Island) in 1949. The weight of the giant was 20 tons, and the length was almost 13 meters. The girth of the torso is also impressive - 7 meters. The fishermen immediately killed the fish, cut them into parts and sold them.

Another inhabitant of the waters is not far from the record holder - this is a giant shark. It is known that the size of such fish reaches 11 meters. And there is information about the capture of a larger individual (up to 15 meters), but it is not documented. It is worth noting that the giant shark and whale shark are almost not dangerous to humans. They feed only on zooplankton. And they are not at all interested in humans as prey.

And they are dangerous because with one movement of the tail fin they can break a person’s spine or cause other serious injury. Therefore, you need to be careful in the immediate vicinity of monster fish.

Largemouth shark

Largemouth sharks, a rather rare species of underwater predators, also grow quite large. The maximum recorded size of a largemouth shark is 7 meters. But who knows, maybe even larger individuals swim in the depths of the ocean

Bigmouth shark

White shark

In 1978 at Azores, near the San Miguel harbor, a 7-meter white shark was caught using dozens of harpoons. This is a record to date. White Death, as it is also called, resisted the fishermen and killed two people. She broke the spine of one and bit the other in half.

By the way, there are cases when white shark caught with a fishing rod. So, in 1959, the Australian Elf Dian caught a cannibal on a steel fishing line in a small motor boat in the ocean. The weight of the predator was 1207 kilograms, and the length was just over five meters.
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Man often wonders: is he alone in the Universe? Is there life somewhere else or is he completely, completely alone? We don't know the answers. Bye. But before you look with bated breath at the stars, it’s worth taking a better look around, because we share the planet with myriads of other creatures, each of which is unique and inimitable in its own way.

The smallest ones can only be seen with the help of very powerful technology, while for others the person himself can become an annoying, but easily overcome obstacle. It is such large animals that make people stop to once again admire the diversity and whimsical imagination of nature. Let's do this too.

Blue whale - giant of giants

At this particular historical moment in time, blue whales are the largest animals on earth, in water and in the air. Photos or videos may be impressive, but they don't even come close to conveying their size. On land, these giants may seem somewhat clumsy, but in the water they have no equal. As for the sizes, here are just a few facts that will help you feel their scale:

The length of a whale can reach 33 meters. If it’s hard to imagine, imagine a nine-story building and add another floor to it.
The weight of such a giant can be up to 200 tons. For example, the weight of the Daewoo Matiz is less than 800 kilograms, that is, the whale is 250 times larger than a small one, but still a car.
An adult animal spends 1 million calories per day. For this we would have to eat 500 kilograms of beef chops, but a whale costs a ton of krill.
The second largest animal is the elephant, but it weighs about the same as a whale's tongue alone.

This is only a small part of the information about this magnificent animal, but even it allows you to imagine how huge it is.

African elephant - king of the pampas

We have already spoken about this animal above, but this does not mean that it does not deserve more detailed description. If blue whales are super champions of all elements, then the African elephant has conquered only land, but there is no animal more massive on it. Here's a couple interesting facts:

Elephant ladies weigh about three tons, their gentlemen weigh up to five, and the very best can increase up to seven and a half tons of live weight.
A baby elephant is born very tiny - only a centner of weight and a meter of height, but it eats a lot of rich mother's milk and grows quickly.
The tusks of a mature male can weigh up to 100 kilograms each.

Of course, compared to the blue whale, these numbers are not very impressive, but life in the air dictates its limitations. On the other hand, other animals are even smaller.

Giraffe – 6 meters of misunderstanding

It's hard to imagine the vagaries of evolution that gave birth to these strange creatures with their long legs and a neck comparable in length to them. But you can calmly admire the result, if not natural environment, then at least in a photo or video. To make it interesting to admire, here are a few dry statistical facts:

The height of a giraffe can reach six meters, of which 2 are just the neck. At the same time, they weigh relatively little - 1000-1200 kilograms. Not surprising, considering that they mainly consist of legs and neck.
Despite the fact that the length of the giraffe’s neck amazes the wildest fantasies, approaching nightmares, it has the same number of vertebrae as the human neck - 7 pieces.
The giraffe's tongue is another asset. He can stick it out almost half a meter.
It is difficult to imagine a running giraffe, but he can do it quite well, reaching speeds of up to 55 km/h. A jumping giraffe looks even more phantasmagoric. But at the same time he can overcome the two-meter bar.

Thus, despite its apparent clumsiness and awkwardness, the giraffe is a strong, resilient and ideally adapted miracle of nature for life in its own conditions. Of course, this is not the largest animal in the world, but it is consistently among the top three.

Southern elephant seal – blubber skin

The elephant seal is the most close-up view pinnipeds, and the southern branch is significantly larger than its relatives. They live, as is quite clear from the name, on South Pole, which determined them appearance. In a harsh climate, and even more so in icy (literally) water, one cannot survive without a thick layer of fat that would protect him from this disgrace.

True, because of this, they began to look like wineskins filled with liquid fat, especially when they roll over to the rookery. But in the water they acquire the grace of a bird and the purposefulness of a torpedo. In this regard, these large animals once again confirm that nature does not do anything for nothing, adapting each creature to certain conditions. Several main parameters of these giants:

A male can grow up to 6 meters in length, accumulating 5 tons of weight. His spouses are more miniature, their weight is about one ton and 2-3 meters in length.
A newly born baby weighs only 50 kilograms.
In a rookery there may be several hundred females and only a few dozen males who have won the right to be in this paradise.

Fat, clumsy, ugly - in fact elephant seals- the personification of grace. Underwater. It is not surprising that this is where they spend 70-80% of their lives.

Ostrich - running bird

It is worth thanking nature many, many times that ostriches and their relatives do not fly. Otherwise, it would be scary to imagine what the monuments and squares of the cities that they would choose as their permanent location would turn into. Their passage would resemble carpet bombing. And now you yourself will understand why:

The weight of an adult large ostrich can be up to 150 kilograms with a height of 2.5 meters.
Their head is small, but their eyes are very beautiful and large. The brain already fits poorly in the head, so it is comparable in size to the eyes.
Ostriches cannot fly, but they run excellently: at speeds of up to 60 km/h. Even one-month-old chicks can reach speeds of up to 50 km/h, catching up with their mother.

Ostriches are beautiful and elegant birds. But still, it’s good that they don’t fly.

Liger - changing the places of the terms changes the sum

There are three types of cats: domestic cats, small wild cats and large wild cats. In this case, the liger could be called a very large wild cat. Not surprising, because they are significantly larger in size than both the lion father and the tiger mother. Such marriages occur quite rarely, but any zoo or park is proud of the children.

This hybrid looks like a lion with faint, blurry stripes, but that’s not what’s interesting, it’s their size. Here are some facts:

The liger Hercules weighs 400 kilograms, twice as large as his father and his relatives.
The largest liger, noted by the Guinness Book of Records, weighed 798 kilograms. It can easily be divided into 4 lions.
The offspring of a tiger father and a lioness mother is called a tigron, but it does not have such impressive dimensions.

There are now 4 lily cubs growing up in the Novosibirsk Zoo - the eldest girl Kiara and newborn triplets. They were born from the marriage of a leaguer and a lion, creating a very rare and unique variety. It is difficult to say whether they will be able to surpass their predecessor parents.

Grizzly is not a teddy bear at all
Grizzly is our native Americanized brown bear. But, having moved abroad, he acquired impressive claws, a bad temper, and also grew up a little. See for yourself:

On average, the height of a grizzly bear ranges from 2.2 meters to 2.8.
The weight is about half a tone.
Some of the most seasoned ones reach a height of 4 meters. Weight and bad temper increase proportionately.
The bear loves an aggressive manicure: its claws are about 15 centimeters long, twice as long as human fingers.

Now you know what the largest animal on our planet is. Unfortunately, most of the champions listed in our article are firmly entrenched in the Red Book. If humanity does not change its attitude towards them in the near future, then they risk moving to Chernaya. Our grandchildren risk learning about them this way: from photos and videos.

The second largest shark in existence is once again frightening Italians.

Yesterday, April 22, in the afternoon, two vacationers on the Italian coast were “lucky” to see with their own eyes one of the most big sharks on the planet. A giant shark (Cetorhinus maximus) swam between the island of Gallinara and the city of Albenga. According to eyewitnesses, the giant “jaws” were moving towards the port of Loano, in Albengo. A specialized center for the study of cetaceans has already become interested in the elephant shark: its specialists are checking to what extent a specimen that appears on the coast can pose a danger to humans.

Gigantic elephant shark is the second largest shark extant on Earth and is second in size only to the whale shark. This species is classified as endangered. Its laterally compressed snout sometimes hangs over the mouth, like a trunk, and its laterally flattened head gives the shark a resemblance to an elephant. The weight of such a “fish” can reach 10 tons, and its length can be 14 meters. Fortunately, huge individuals are extremely rare, but small representatives of the species, ranging from 4 to 8 meters in length 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 movement speed is 3 - 5 km/h. Sometimes, in places where plankton accumulates, representatives of this species gather in small flocks. A few open-mouthed elephant sharks cruising along the surface can strike fear into anyone. But ichthyologists reassure: giant sharks are not dangerous to humans, since 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 spotted yesterday on the Ligurian coast did not exceed 4 meters, that is, it was quite miniature in size. Although it hardly seemed so to eyewitnesses. On the other hand, this is not the first time that basking sharks in Italy. And to tour operators in the entertainment program, in addition to clean waters and golden beaches, it's time to include the opportunity to contemplate the endangered species of basking sharks in their natural habitat.

Among animals, as well as among people, there are record holders worthy of being included in the Guinness Book of Records. Some of them are recognized as the strongest, others - the fastest. And some can only boast of their enormous weight or number of teeth. But today we are interested in only one category, which we will talk about below.

On Earth there are many terrestrial and sea creatures who 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: elephant and buffalo, whale and shark, hippopotamus and even giraffe. But in this article we must name the only earthly inhabitant whose weight and size significantly exceeds the parameters of its 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 that is protected by the state in many countries. Average weight the male exceeds 700 kilograms, and the female - 300 kilograms. It must be said that there have been cases when the weight of a Kodiak exceeded a ton.

White (polar) bear

This is the heaviest carnivore living 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. Female bears are approximately half the size of males, their weight does not exceed 300 kilograms. Interestingly, one 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 weight among land inhabitants.

Now the hippopotamus is found in natural conditions only in Africa, south of the Sahara, although in ancient times, for example, in ancient times, it had a wider range. This giant lived on the territory North Africa, and scientists also believe that he lived in the Middle East. However, by early Middle Ages it was destroyed in these regions. In 2006 International Union The Nature Conservancy has declared the hippopotamus 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 meat, so bloody wars and instability in many countries of the continent force starving people to look for food, thereby causing enormous damage to the animal population.

African elephant

This is the heaviest land-dwelling animal in the world. It differs from its counterparts living on other continents not only in its body weight, but also in its huge ears, which help it feel most comfortable under the rays of the scorching African sun.

The tusks of these giants are very valuable. They were the ones who almost became the reason complete extermination 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.

Weight African elephants impressive: adult males weigh more than 7.5 tons, but 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, and grass. An adult consumes up to one hundred kilograms of green mass per day. Animals form small herds of 9-14 individuals. Apart from humans, elephants have no enemies in nature.

Knowing how much an elephant and a hippopotamus weigh, you 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 meet the underwater inhabitants. Perhaps in sea depths lives the heaviest animal in the world.

Whale shark

This is the most large shark among their relatives. Despite its impressive size (up to twenty meters) and impressive weight (up to twenty tons), it is not the heaviest. Representatives of this species live in southern and northern seas. Northern individuals are much larger.

This gray-brown giant, covered with white spots, the arrangement of which is unique to each individual, lives for about seventy years. They feed by filtering out plankton and straining 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 have been little studied and are very slow. Their numbers are 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 his body length reaches twenty meters. The shape of the sperm whale's body (in the form of a drop) allows it to perform short terms(during migration) long journeys.

Sperm whales, unlike whales, live in groups of up to 150 animals. The representative of the species has a huge rectangular head, compressed at the sides. It makes up a third of the whale's entire body. At the bottom there 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 fairly 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 truly the largest animal on our planet. The length of the body reaches thirty meters, and the mass blue whale is 180 tons and above. In this species, 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 Indian elephant. The blue whale has the largest heart among mammals: it weighs 900 kilograms. To get an idea of its size, look at the Mini Cooper. They are quite comparable in size and weight.

The heaviest animal in the world has an elongated and rather slim body. On the huge head there are disproportionately small eyes. The sharp 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 clearly visible longitudinal ridge - the so-called breakwater.

This giant has a dorsal fin that is strongly displaced back. Compared to its body size, it is quite small and shaped like a triangle. Its back edge is covered with scratches, forming an individual pattern for each whale.

Physiological features

The blue whale's sense of smell and vision are rather poorly developed. But touch and hearing are wonderful. 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 increases to 20 beats.

The skin of the blue whale is even and smooth, with the exception of stripes on the belly and throat. These animals practically do not grow overgrown with crustaceans, which often settle on other whales in huge quantities. The color of the animal is predominantly gray with a blue tint. The head and lower jaw are usually a darker, richer gray.

Our world is truly amazing. It is full of creatures big and small, low and tall. Today we offer you an extraordinary interesting selection. It contains photographs of fifteen of the largest animals in the world, divided into various 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 vomit whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is marine mammals, which belongs to the order of cetaceans in the suborder of baleen whales. Reaching 30 meters (98 feet) in length and weighing 180 metric tons or more, it is the largest animal known to have ever lived on our planet. Language blue whale can reach a weight of about 2.7 tons (5952 lb), which is approximately the same weight as an average size Asian elephant. The blue whale's heart weighs about 600 kilograms (1,300 pounds) and is the largest such organ of any living creature. Not only is the blue whale's heart the size of a small car, but it also weighs about the same as said car. And the volume of a blue whale’s lungs exceeds 3 thousand liters.

2. The blue whale is thought to feed almost exclusively on small shrimp-like creatures known as krill.

3. The diet of the blue whale is based on plankton. Thanks to its filtering apparatus, which consists of whalebone plates, summer months a blue whale can consume a whopping 3.6 metric tons (7,900 lb) or more daily.

4. This means that it can eat up to 40 million krill per day, while the daily caloric 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. Males African elephant reach 6 to 7.5 meters (19.7 to 24.6 ft) in length, 3.3 m (10.8 ft) high at the withers, and can weigh up to 6 tons (13,000 lb). Female African elephants are much smaller, measuring on average 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 lb). Adult African elephants generally have no enemies in their natural habitat due to their extreme large sizes, but elephant calves (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 wildlife The population of African elephants ranges from 500 to 600 thousand individuals.

7. Tallest land animal in the world: giraffe.

The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is an African mammal from the order artiodactyl family Giraffidae 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 distinctive characteristic of the giraffe is its very long neck, which can reach over 2 meters (6 ft 7 in) in length. In fact, the neck accounts for almost half of the animal’s vertical height. Long neck is the result of a disproportionate lengthening 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. Top predator in the world: 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 on average can weigh 400 to 900 kilograms (880 to 2,000 lb) and be 2.6 to 3 meters (8.5 to 9.8 ft) in length, male southern elephant seals weigh on 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. Absolute record holder among southern elephant seals, shot at Possession Bay, South Georgia, on February 28, 1913, measured 6.85 meters (22.5 ft) in length and was estimated to weigh approximately 5,000 kilograms (11,000 lb).
Southern marines can dive repeatedly when hunting, remaining underwater for more than twenty minutes each time, stalking their prey, squid and fish, to depths of 400 to 1,000 meters (1,300 to 3,300 ft). The documented record for staying underwater for a juvenile elephant seal was approximately two hours. Maximum depth The depth to which southern elephant seals can dive is more than 1,400 meters (4,600 ft).

9. Largest land predator in the world: Polar bear and Kodiak bear.

The world's largest terrestrial predator is the white polar bear ( Ursus maritimus) and the Kodiak brown bear, (Ursus ARCTOS). If with white polar bear everything is more or less clear, 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 near south coast Alaska. Since the polar 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). Absolute weight record for polar and brown bear was 1003 kg (2210 lb) and 1135 kg (2500 lb) respectively.

11. Largest reptile in the world: Saltwater (combed or spongy) crocodile.
Saltwater crocodile(Crocodylus porosus), is the largest reptile currently existing in the world. The habitat of saltwater crocodiles ranges from Northern Australia to Southeast Asia And east coast 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 reach weights of over 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). Nautical saltwater crocodile is the only species of crocodile whose representatives regularly reach a length of 4.8 m (16 ft) and even exceed this mark. Saltwater crocodile - active predator, which feeds mainly on insects, molluscs, amphibians, crustaceans, small reptiles and fish. However, it attacks almost any animal that is on its territory, either in the water or on land. The crocodile always drags the victim it watches on land into the water, where it is more difficult for it to resist it.

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 Chinese giant salamander can reach a length of 180 centimeters (6 feet), although nowadays giants like these are extremely rare. This species is endemic 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. Today this species is considered endangered due to habitat destruction, pollution environment 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 Flanders". The Belgian Flanders is an ancient breed of domesticated rabbit that originates from the Flemish region.

15. They were first bred in the sixteenth century in the vicinity of Ghent, Belgium. Belgian Flanders rabbits can weigh up to 12.7 kilograms (28 pounds).

16. Largest bat in the world: giant golden flying fox. Pictured: a giant golden flying fox. Spectacled flying fox.

The largest of all bat species is the giant golden flying fox (Acerodon jubatus), a critically endangered species. bats from tropical forests Philippine, which is part of the fruit bat family. The main diet of giant golden flying foxes is fruit. Weight Limit Giant golden flying foxes can weigh 1.5 kg (3.3 lb), can reach 55 centimeters (22 in) in length, and have a wingspan of almost 1.8 meters (5.9 ft). Giant flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus) inferior to golden flying fox in body weight and length, but is ahead of it in wingspan. Scientists recorded individuals with wingspans ranging from 1.83 meters (6.0 ft) to 2 meters (6.6 ft).

17. Largest rodent in the world: capybara.
The largest existing rodent is the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), a species that is found along the shores of various bodies of water in the tropical and temperate parts of the Central and South America, east of the Andes - from Panama to Uruguay to northeast Argentina. One of the main conditions for the existence of a capybara is the presence of a nearby body of water.

18. The largest capybaras can reach 1.5 meters (4.9 ft) in length and 0.9 meters (3.0 ft) 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 hundreds of individuals, but the usual size of one colony is on average 10-20 individuals.

19. Largest bony fish in the world: common sunfish (sunfish, headfish).

Osteichthyes, also called "bony fish", are a taxonomic group of fish that have bony rather than cartilaginous skeletons. The vast majority of fish belong to the species Osteichthyes. This is an extremely diverse and numerous group, consisting of more than 29,000 species. This is the largest class of vertebrates currently existing.

20. The largest representative bony fish is the widespread common sunfish (sunfish, headfish) or Mola Mola. She is extremely strange shape body - it is compressed laterally, very high and short, which gives the fish an outlandish appearance and a disk-like shape. In fact, it does not have a body as such - the sunfish is literally a “head and tail”. Mature Common fish-head has average length 1.8 meters (5.9 feet), fin-to-fin width reaches 2.5 meters (8.2 feet), and average weight is 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds). However, scientists have recorded individuals that can be up to 3.3 meters (10.8 feet) long and 4.2 meters (14 feet) across. These giants can weigh up to 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 subfamily Boa constrictors. 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 green anacondas being much larger. Reticulated python(Python reticulatus) from Southeast Asia is larger in body length but slimmer, and members of this species are reported to reach a maximum length of 9.7 meters (32 ft).

22. The world's largest bird: ostrich.

Ostrich, the most large bird on our planet (Struthio Camelus), found on the plains of Africa and Arabia. The scientific name of ostrich comes from Greek and means “camel sparrow.” A large male ostrich can reach a height of 2.8 meters (9.2 feet), and weigh more than 156 kilograms (345 pounds). Ostrich eggs can weigh up to 1.4 kilograms (3 pounds) and are the largest bird eggs in the world. modern world. Ostriches can develop when running maximum speed 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 Dalmatian Pelican's habitat is significant territory from South-Eastern Europe to India and China. Dalmatian pelicans live in swamps and shallow lakes. It is the largest of the pelicans, and on average members of this species can reach 160-180 centimeters (63-70 inches) in length, and weigh 11-15 kilograms (24-33 pounds). The Dalmatian Pelican has a wingspan of just over 3 meters (10 feet). With an average weight of 11.5 kilograms (25 lb), the Dalmatian Pelican is the heaviest flying bird. Although large male A bustard or a swan can exceed a pelican in maximum weight.

24. Largest arthropod in the world: Japanese spider crab.

The Japanese spider crab is one of the species sea crab, which lives in the waters off the coast of Japan. It has a leg span of 3.8 meters (12 feet) and can weigh up to 41 pounds (19 kilograms).

26. In its natural habitat, Japanese spider crab feeds on shellfish and animal carcasses and its lifespan can be up to 100 years.