Admire the Giants of Their Kingdom – 10 Pictures

Although the biggest prehistoric beasts became extinct, there are still animals on Earth who impress us with their size.

1. Blue Whale

The blue whale is the largest and the heaviest animal in the world. It can weigh up to 200 tons and be up to 30 meters long. They feed on planktons from seawater, and their favorite food are shrimps. Daily, a blue whale consumes about 40 million shrimps. During the winter months they do not eat and live off of their fat reserves. Just take a look at the size of a blue whale comparing to a smaller yacht.

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2. The African Elephant

The African elephant is the heaviest terrestrial animal and the second tallest in the animal kingdom. Its weight varies from 3.6 tons to 7.5 tons, while the largest elephant ever recorded weighed a staggering 13.5 tons. Males can reach a height of 4 meters, while the height of females is about 3 meters. Their fangs were developed into tusks, which can weigh up to 120 kilograms and, unfortunately, are one of the main reasons some people hunt them. Here's the size ratio of African elephant and T-Rex.

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3. Polar Bears

The polar bear is the third largest terrestrial animal in the world. It can reach a weight of 1 ton and height of 3 meters. Its main prey are walruses, from whom they only use skin and fat. During the summer months polar bears are feeding on berries and rodents. Just look at the size of their paw comparing to human hands (don't worry, bear was saved and released back in the wilderness).

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4. Saltwater Crocodile

Saltwater crocodile is the largest reptile species on Earth. The average adult male is long from 4.8 meters to 5 meters and weighs about 770 pounds. The largest crocodile ever recorded, weighed 1.9 tons and was 6.3 meters is long from. Saltwater crocodiles have powerful jaws that are used to kill their prey: monkeys, wild pigs, large lizards, farm livestock, birds and even humans.

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5. The Giraffes

The giraffe is the tallest animal on Earth. Males reach up to 5.8 meters of height and weight up to 1.4 tons. Record-breaking weight of a male was about 2 tons, and the height of 5.8 meters. Females are usually slightly lower and more light-weighted. If giraffes could wander freely through populated areas, they would be peeking through the windows on some higher floors.

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6. The Ostriches

The ostrich is the largest bird on Earth. Male ostriches are between 2 meters and 2.75 meters tall and weigh up to 156 kilograms. Females are smaller, up to 1.90 meters tall and weigh from 90 kilograms to 100 kilograms. Their egg is the biggest egg in the world. The ostriches are not that taller than humans but we are powerless when it comes to the strength of their beak.

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7. Great Salamander

Great salamander is the largest amphibian in the world. They can reach a weight of 65 kilograms and body length of 1.83 meters. The feed on crabs mostly. In captivity they can live up to 50 years.

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8. Whale Sharks

Whale shark is the largest fish in the world. It can reach a weight of 22 tons and body length of 13.6 meters. The largest whale shark ever was 12.65 meters long and weighed a staggering 36 tons. On Earth, this fish species appeared 60 million years ago. Although they have big mouth, whale sharks mainly feed on plankton and microscopic plants and animals. Here's the size of a whale shark compared to a scuba diver.

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9. Goliath Beetle

Goliath beetle is the largest insect on Earth. There is information on the effectiveness of cultivation of these bugs – thanks to protein-rich food (canned food for dogs and cats), these insects can be about 11.5 centimeters long and weigh 115 grams – which is bigger than average palm size.

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10. Giant Squids

Giant squid is the largest invertebrate on Earth. The average length is between 6 meters and 12 meters. It is assumed that like all cephalopods, they are fast growing and at the age of three, they already reach a weight of 500 kilograms. Three years ago, a giant squid was caught, which weighed a staggering 990 pounds and was 39 meters long, and last year on a New Zealand beach a giant squid was found. It was so big that some people even wondered if it was real.

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