8 Largest Animals in the World Known for Their Distinguishing Characteristics

Animals are amazing creatures on Earth. While some are cute and can be owned as a pet, others are known for their aggressive behavior. Some animals are tiny sized and can be held in hands, and others are large-sized animals and can weigh over 1500 pounds.

The Blue whale is known to be the largest animal in the world. But apart from this, several animals are dangerous, large, and can feed on anything to survive. 

Here are a few largest animals in the world that are extinct, endangered, and are still popular for their features. 

1. Blue Whale

Source = Bbci

At over 95ft in length and over 200 tons in weight, the Blue Whale is considered to be the largest animal on the earth. You would be shocked to know that the blue whale’s tongue alone can weigh as much as an elephant. It feeds small shrimp-like creatures called krill. It is believed that blue whales eat nearly 4-5 tons of krill every day. It is a marine mammal and belongs to the baleen whale suborder Mysticeti. The average length of a female blue whale is around 72 ft for Eastern North Pacific Blue Whales and 79ft for western North Pacific Blue whales. 

Blue whales can be seen in Monterey Bay from July to October, in San Diego in July and August, and the Sea of Cortez from January to March. Blue Whales look blue underwater, but in reality, it is a bit more mottled blue-gray. It has a flat head, a tapered body, and has triangular flakes. Blue Whales are amazing swimmers and can swim at a speed of 30km per hour.

They have a few predators and are scared of killer whales attack and sharks. It comes to the surface of the sea to breathe. Blue whales love to swim alone or in pairs and avoid groups. They communicate with each other through a series of low-frequency pulses and moans. 

These species are classified as endangered on the World Conservation Union Red List. It is believed that around 20000 blue whales swim in the oceans. The average lifespan of a blue whale is estimated to be 80-90 years. The Blue whale’s heart weighs around 400 pounds. Its beat can be heard from 2 miles away. Here are other blue whale species and their IUCN conservation status that you should know. 

2. African Bush Elephant

Source = Wikia

The African Bush elephant is another largest animal on Earth. It is also known as the African Savanna Elephant and is the largest living terrestrial animal. The adult African Bush Elephant reaches up to 24ft in length and around 13 ft in height. It has grey skin with scanty hair and large ears.

They are herbivores and feed on leaves, bark, and grass. They eat around 300 pounds of foliage every day. They live up to 70 years and can be found in African countries. Some African elephants born in 1950 are still alive. 

They have no predators, but young African Bush Elephants are unsafe from lion and crocodile attacks. Since 2004, this largest creature is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list. It is social and travels in herds. 

Large ears reduce body heat. The female African bush elephant manages the herds. The male ones spend their life alone and return when it is time to mate. The head of bush elephants weighs 25% of their body. 

If the average weight of a female bush elephant is 11 tons, then her head would weigh around 3tons. The elephant can lift around 300kgs of weight with the trunk. African elephants are threatened and at endangered status. The destruction of the environment has reduced their population over the last century. 

Poaching elephants for tusks is popular among hunters. The Latin name of the African Bush Elephant is Loxodonta Africana. If they are in danger, Bush elephants cry aloud from their trunk and scare the animal attacking them.

3. Saltwater Crocodile

Source = Theculturetrip

The saltwater crocodile is native to saltwater habitats. It is the largest living reptile and crocodile. A male saltwater crocodile grows up to 20ft in length and weighs around 2900lb. They can feed anything that comes their way. You won’t believe it, but they could also eat water buffaloes, sharks, and even monkeys. They have powerful jaws and have the strongest bite amongst the animal world. Their teeth are up to 13 cm long. Saltwater crocodiles spend most of their time in water and come ashore in the sun. 

They are found in coastal water where they can swim between fresh and brackish water. They first appeared nearly 200 million years ago at the time of dinosaurs. A baby saltwater crocodile can weigh as 60 g. They live in murky water and are hard to see. They are cold-blooded and prefer heat but can't produce body sweat. 

Saltwater crocodiles are known for attacking humans. However, the reports suggest that they have killed only one person per year. They cannot eat underwater but can swim up to 30 km per hour. They watch their prey through water and drag them into it. They breed during the wet season in the Northern Territory. 

Do you know saltwater crocodiles are the most dangerous predators of the sea and can travel over 900kms in one go? Crocodiles sleep with one eye open by doing unihemispheric sleeping. They are active sea goers and can be noticed around offshore islands and atolls. Not only Salt Crocodiles, but these dangerous animals could also take your life in minutes. 

4. The Flemish Giant

Source = Wideopenpets

The Flemish Giant is a large breed of domestic rabbit. It is also known for being patient and can be kept as pets. When you think of a rabbit, you imagine a little bunny that loves carrots. But this Flemish Giant can weigh up to 25 pounds and grow up to 3 ft. 

A male rabbit known as a buck has a broader head than a female known as a doe. The female Flemish giant has a large flap of skin, which is used to keep her offspring warm. What’s amazing is this loveable creature can be found in different colors like steel gray, white, black, blue, and fawn. Guinness World Records awarded a 51 inch Flemish Giant rabbit a title of the longest rabbit. 

They have a long and well-proportioned body. It is a semi-arch type rabbit and can take nearly two years to reach maturity. Due to its large size, they need special living quarters for physical movement. They have thick and glossy fur all over the body. The sandy flemish giant rabbit has a reddish sandy coat and brown eyes. 

Another common flemish giant rabbit comes in black color and has brown eyes. They generally weigh around 14 to 21 pounds. When kept indoors, these adorable creatures hop around the house. They can be trained and are considered to be the best pet around. 

However, if you want to keep the Flemish Giant as a pet, then you would have to take care of their grooming. Giant rabbits need grooming and brushing. Also, make sure that the tips of the nails should be trimmed often.

5. The Chinese Giant Salamander

Source = Edgeofexistence

The Chinese Giant Salamander is one of the largest amphibians in the world. It is endemic to rocky mountain streams. It is considered to be a living fossil and is protected under Chinese law and CITES Appendix I. It has small eyes, wrinkly skin, and a wide mouth. 

The average Giant Salamander weighs around 66lb and is around 4 ft in length. Also, it is known for crying sounds, hissing, and barking. It feeds on insects, horsehair worms, shrimp, fish, and water shrew. It loves underwater but does not have gills. 

This species is critically endangered due to water pollution and habitat loss. They are camouflaged animals and hide against the rocky river bottoms. It is believed that the Chinese Giant Salamander is nearly 160 million years old. 

During the last few decades, the number of this creature has been reduced to 80%. Poaching and trading of this giant creature are illegal in China. They feed on crabs, insects, frogs, snails, and small salamanders. 

They spend most of their time underwater and detect prey by the sensations in the water. The Chinese Giant Salamander does mating in July, August, and September. It is also called baby fish because it produces a sound that resembles a baby’s cry. It is majorly found in forested regions with an altitude of 300-4900ft. 

They look like tadpoles and are the babies of baby fish. It is exactly not a fish but the largest amphibian on the earth. In the last few decades, thor population is reduced and is categorized as critically endangered. There are three living species of giant Salamander in the family Cryptobranchidae - the Japanese Giant Salamander, Chinese Giant Salamander, and the American hellbender.  

6. Ocean Sunfish

Source = Scientificamerican

Ocean Sunfish is also known as Bony fish and are a taxonomic group of fish. They feed a variety of foods but prefer jellyfishes. Also, Ocean Sunfish can dive up to 2600ft, but generally hangouts at a depth of 160-650ft. It resembles a prehistoric shark and is a creature of mysteries. 

It is one of the largest animals and can produce over 300,000,000 eggs at a time. They have flattened bodies and use fins for the movement. The mature sunfish has an average length of 6 ft and an average weight of 2200 lb. The color of ocean sunfish is dark on the surface and then fades to a lighter shade. They love to sunbathe and spend most of their time basking in the sun. This warms their bodies after deep water dives. 

The scientific name of Ocean Sunfish is Mola Mola. The color of ocean sunfish can vary from silvery grey to white and has a specific mottled pattern. It swims by using its top and bottom fins and flop back and forth. 

The young ocean sunfish is called Fry. They are native to temperate and tropical waters of every ocean. They are classified as vulnerable to extinction, similar to cheetah and giant pandas. 

7. Polar Bear

Source = Natgeokids

Do you know Polar Bear is the largest carnivore in the world? An adult polar bear may weigh up to 1500 pounds. They are great swimmers and can swim continuously for two days. They cover long distances by floating on the ice. Sometimes fur grew on the bottom of their paws. This protects them against the cold surface and also provides animals a grip to be comfortable on the ice. They look appealing but are great predators. They are native to the frozen wilds of the Arctic, Canada, Russia, and Norway. 

They have an amazing sense of smell and attack on their prey. You won’t believe it, but Polar bears can smell their prey from 15-20 km away from them. Even though they are great swimmers, they can’t catch seals in open water. They look for seal breathing holes and then catch them. 

The white coat provides them camouflage when they are attacking seals. Under their fur, they have black skin. They look white because it reflects visible light. Polar bears love a snow bath. When their coat becomes dirty, they roll their body on the snow. Another interesting fact about this large animal is that they share food after seeking permission. If one bear has to ask for food, it asks another bear through nose-to-nose greeting. It touches the feeding bear’s nose to ask if they can share food. 

Male Polar Bears can weigh up to 900kgs and are twice the size of females. They are classified as vulnerable, and climate change is the biggest threat to them. It is a marine mammal because it spends most of its life around the sea. Compared to the brown bear, the polar bear has a longer skull and nose. Mature polar bears eat seals, where young bears eat protein-rich red meat. A polar bear can live up to 25 years. The oldest polar bear died at the age of 32. 

8. Goliath Beetle

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Goliath Beetle is the largest insect on earth. Male Goliath Beetle measures up to 4.3in and can weigh up to 100 grams. They have elytra, a pair of wings that protect the software wings. They feed on fruit and the remains of dead animals. 

The female Goliath Beetle can range from dark brown to white. However, male Beetles are black or white. They are around 300 million years old and can be found in the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa. They can weigh 850 times heavier than their weight. 

They have six legs, outer shells, and a segmented body. Their legs have sharp claws and help them in climbing trees. Male Goliath Beetles have horns on their heads, whereas females have wedge-shaped heads for burrowing to lay their eggs. 

Different species of Goliath Beetle have different scientific names like Goliathus Cacicus Goliathus albosignatus, Goliathus regius, Goliathus Orientalis, Goliathus goliathus, and more. Goliath Beetle is an aggressive animal and fights with others for food. 

Do you know other creatures that can be considered as the largest animal? If yes, then share facts about them.