The largest animals of ours. The largest animals on Earth! Kalong or giant flying fox

Our world is home to many of the most amazing animals - very large and very small. In this article we will tell you about the 15 largest animals in the world. In doing so, we classify them into different categories. So, you will find out what are the largest sea animals on earth, the largest snakes, the most big elephants and so on. Prepare to be surprised! Pleasant and useful time delivery is guaranteed!

The largest animal is the Blue Whale

The blue whale is the largest animal on earth. Not only that, it is also recognized as the largest animal of all. known to science, ever existing “creatures” in the world. The length of the blue whale is about 30 meters, and its weight starts from 180 tons and above.

It’s hard to imagine, but the tongue of this amazing marine mammal alone weighs approximately 2.7 tons, which is comparable in size to Indian elephant. The average weight of a blue whale's heart is 600 kilograms, which is the largest heart in the world. To make it easier to imagine the size of such a heart, let’s say that in size and weight it is approximately comparable to a Mini Cooper car.

The heaviest land animal in the world is the African elephant.

Of all the land animals now living on the planet, the largest is the African elephant. Males of this species reach a length of 6 to 7.5 meters, and a height of 3.3 meters and above. Such giants weigh about 6 tons. Females African elephant significantly smaller: on average, their weight is 3 tons, their length is from 5.4 to 6.9 meters, and their height is 2.7 meters. In adults African elephants enemies in wildlife practically none, but newborn cubs are very vulnerable and are hunted with pleasure by lions, crocodiles, leopards and even hyenas.

Tallest land animal in the world - Giraffe

The giraffe is the tallest land animal in the world. It represents African artiodactyl mammal. His height is 5-6 meters, and average weight 1.6 tons for males and 0.83 tons for females. The giraffe is distinguished by a very long neck, which makes up almost half of its entire vertical height animal and equals approximately 2 meters. Unique, but Long neck The giraffe acts as a continuation not of the usual spine, but of a disproportionately elongated cervical spinal column.

The largest marine carnivore in the world - Southern sea ​​Elephant

The southern elephant seal is the largest carnivore alive today. Distinctive feature What stands out about these seals is that the size of their males is 5-6 times larger than that of females. This is perhaps the largest sex difference in size of any mammal. Moreover, males weigh from 2.2 to 4.0 tons, while the weight of females is only 0.4 - 0.9 tons, and the length reaches from 2.6 to 3 meters.

Largest land carnivore - White polar bear and Kodiak bear

The largest land-based carnivores are the white polar bear and the Kodiak bear, which appears as a type of brown bear. Body size polar bear and the Kodiak bear are approximately the same. Their height is 1.6 meters or more, and the total length is 3 meters. The registered brown and polar bears were recognized as the heaviest, weighing 1,135 kilograms and 1,003 kilograms, respectively.

The largest reptile in the world - Saltwater crocodile

The largest reptile in the world that has survived to this day is the saltwater crocodile. Its habitat is quite large territory from South-East Asia and the coast of India to Northern Australia. An adult male saltwater crocodile weighs approximately 0.41 to 1.0 tons, and its length ranges from 4.1 to 5.5 meters. However, individual individuals can exceed 6 meters in length and weigh more than a ton.

This variety of crocodiles is the only species that regularly exceeds 4.8 meters in length. The saltwater crocodile acts as an exceptional dangerous predator. He is capable of attacking almost any animal that appears in his line of sight, regardless of whether it is in water or on land.

The largest amphibian in the world is the Chinese giant salamander

The Chinese giant salamander is the largest salamander in the world, measuring approximately 180 centimeters in length. However, as a rule, today they are not allowed to grow to such sizes, since these salamanders are a favorite delicacy of many peoples, and are also traditionally used in folklore. Chinese medicine. As the name suggests, the Chinese giant salamander lives in rocky lakes and mountain streams in China. At the same time, she is threatened not only by merciless fishing, but also by pollution of the reservoir where she lives.

Most big rabbit in the world - Flemish Giant

The Flemish Giant is an old breed of domesticated rabbit for which the Flemish region was famous. The largest rabbits in the world were bred in the 16th century in Belgium near the city of Ghent. Such giants can weigh up to 12.7 kilograms.

The largest bats in the world - Giant flying golden-crowned fox

The most great view bats is gigantic flying fox with a golden crown. This is a rare fruit bat, mercilessly exterminated by people, living in tropical forests in the Philippines. It belongs to the megabat family. The maximum weight of giants is 1.5 kilograms. In size, such a mouse has a wingspan of almost 1.8 meters and 55 centimeters in length. If we take a simple large Flying Fox as an example, then in length and body weight it is smaller than the Giant Golden-crowned Flying Fox, but in wingspan it exceeds it: in ordinary foxes the wingspan can reach up to 2 meters.

The largest rodent in the world - Capybara

The largest rodent in the world is the capybara. This guinea pig lives in most tropical and temperate areas South America and Andes, she lives next to the water. Adult capybaras reach a length of 1.5 meters and a height of 0.9 meters. The maximum weight of a pig is 105.4 kilograms. The capybara is a very social species: it gets along easily with humans and even seems to enjoy their company.

The largest bony fish in the world is the Ocean sunfish.

Bony fish (Osteichthyes) are a taxonomic group of fish that have a bony, rather than cartilaginous, skeleton. This group is very rich and diverse, it includes more than 29 thousand varieties. It is also the largest class of vertebrates in existence.

The ocean sunfish is recognized as the largest bony fish today. It is widespread, its body is similar to the head of a fish with a tail, but without a body. An adult ocean sunfish has an average length of 1.8 meters and measures 2.5 meters from fin to fin. On average, such a fish weighs 1 ton. Fishermen also came across sunfish up to 3.3 meters long and weighing up to 2.3 tons.

The most big snake- Green Anaconda

The Green Anaconda is recognized by biologists as the most massive reptile in the world. Maximum size The snake, which was officially recorded, is 7.5 meters in length and 250 kilograms in weight. There are also many rumors that people have often encountered larger anacondas. The green anaconda's competitor for the title of largest snake in the world is the Python reticulatus, which lives in Southeast Asia. This reptile is longer (its length is 9.7 meters), but it is lighter in weight.

The most big bird in the world - Ostrich

Most big bird in the world is the ostrich. It lives on the plains of Africa and Arabia. A male ostrich can reach 2.8 meters in height, while weighing more than 156 kilograms. The eggs laid by ostriches are considered the largest: their weight is approximately 1.4 kilograms. Ostriches are also distinguished by the fact that they can run at an extraordinary speed - around 97.5 km/h. Thanks to this, ostriches are considered the most fast birds in the world, as well as the fastest two-legged animals on earth.

The heaviest flying bird in the world is the Dalmatian pelican.

The Dalmatian Pelican belongs to the pelican family. Its habitat is from China and India to the southeastern part of Europe. It lives in shallow lakes and swamps. The Dalmatian pelican is the largest of the pelicans and the heaviest flying bird on earth. Its weight on average ranges from 11 to 15 kilograms. The length of the bird is from 160 to 180 centimeters, and the wingspan is more than 3 meters. In addition, it is believed that large swans and male bustards can grow to such sizes that they exceed the average weight of Dalmatian pelicans.

The largest arthropod in the world is the Japanese spider crab.

Japanese spider crab represents special kind a sea crab that lives in the waters surrounding Japan. The largest arthropod in the world has a unique length of up to 3.8 meters and a weight of up to 19 kilograms. In his natural environment habitat, the spider crab lives up to 100 years and feeds on shellfish.

Present to your attention interesting selection photographs of the largest animals in the world in various categories. Some of the presented individuals are truly giants!

1. The largest animal that has ever existed on the planet is the blue (or blue) whale. It can reach 30 meters in length and 180 metric tons or more in weight. A blue whale's tongue can weigh about 2.7 tons, which is about the same weight as an average Asian elephant. Its heart is the size of a small car, and it weighs about the same - 600 kg. And the lung volume of this marine mammal exceeds 3 thousand liters.

2. The African elephant is considered the largest land animal in the world. Male African elephants reach 6 to 7.5 meters in length, 3.3 meters in height, while female African elephants are much smaller, measuring on average 5.4 to 6.9 meters in length, 2.7 meters in height . The weight of this animal can reach 6 tons.

3. Tallest land animal in the world: giraffe. The height of this animal is on average 5-6 meters, of which approximately 2 meters are allocated to the neck. The average weight of a male giraffe is 1600 kg, and a female is 830 kg.

4. Top predator in the world: Southern elephant seal. Females of this species can on average weigh between 400 and 900 kilograms and be between 2.6 and 3 meters in length; male southern elephant seals are typically five to six times heavier than females. On average, they weigh approximately 2,200 to 4,000 kg and can reach 4.5 to 5.8 meters in length.

5. Largest land predator in the world: Polar bear and Kodiak bear. With white polar bear We are probably all familiar, but the Kodiak bear is less known. He is a subspecies brown bears and is found on Kodiak Island and other islands of the Kodiak Archipelago off the southern coast of Alaska. The Kodiak bear and the polar bear have approximately the same body parameters, so it is not clear which of them is the leader in size. Both species reach a height of more than 1.6 m, and the total length of the body can reach 3.05 m. The maximum weight of these animals can be 1135 kg.

6. Largest reptile in the world: Saltwater (combed or spongy) crocodile. The weight of an adult male saltwater crocodile can vary from 409 to 1000 kg, and its length usually reaches 5.5 m.

7. The largest amphibian in the world: the Chinese giant salamander. The length of some individuals of the Chinese giant salamander can reach 180 cm, but this is extremely rare. The main condition necessary for the survival of the Chinese giant salamander is a clean and very cold water. On this moment this species is endangered.

8. Largest rabbit/hare in the world: "Belgian Flanders". They were first bred in the 16th century in the vicinity of Ghent, Belgium. The Belgian Flanders can weigh up to 12.7 kg.

9. The largest bat in the world: the giant golden flying fox. The length of this giant bat can reach 55 cm, and their maximum weight is 1.5 kg. The wingspan of the golden flying fox can be almost 1.8 meters.

10. The largest rodent in the world: the capybara. The most major representatives Capybaras can reach 1.5 meters in length and 0.9 meters in height. The weight of these animals can be up to 105.4 kg. These are social animals that live in groups of an average of 10-20 individuals.

11. Largest bone fish in the world: common moon fish (sun fish, head fish). Adult representatives of this fish have an average length of 1.8 meters, a width from fin to fin reaches 2.5 meters, and an average weight of 1000 kg.

12. Largest lizard/ snake in the world: giant green anaconda. The maximum recorded body length of the green anaconda is 7.5 meters, and the maximum recorded weight is 250 kg. However, there are rumors about green anacondas of much larger dimensions.

13. The world's largest bird: ostrich. A large male ostrich can reach 2.8 m in height and weigh more than 156 kg. The eggs of these birds can weigh up to 1.4 kg. The maximum speed developed by these birds is 97.5 km/h. This makes ostriches the fastest birds in the world, as well as the fastest bipeds on Earth.

14. The heaviest flying bird in the world: Dalmatian pelican. The average length of these birds varies from 160 to 180 cm, and they weigh 11-15 kg. The Dalmatian Pelican has a wingspan of more than 3 meters.

15. Largest arthropod in the world: Japanese spider crab. The span of the first pair of legs can reach 3.8 m, and this spider crab can weigh up to 19 kg.

Our planet is inhabited infinite number living creatures that differ from each other in weight, size and habitat. Some representatives of one species or another inspire genuine delight with their incredible size. Giant creatures truly arouse special interest not only among scientists, but also among ordinary people. Who are these animals and what sizes do they reach later in the article.

At the end of the article we have prepared a surprise 🎁 - an exciting test to test your attentiveness 😃

Modern giant animals

A representative of an arthropod species. The span of its paws reaches 4 meters, and its weight is 20 kg. The spider crab lives at a depth of 400 - 500 meters, rising higher only to reproduce. They leave their larvae in shallow water - about one and a half million, but a maximum of 10 - 15% of them survive. Lifespan Japanese crab exceeds 100 years.

Of the currently living flying birds, the pelican is recognized as the largest. With a length of 180 cm and a weight of 15 kg. The pelican has an interesting plumage - like white curls. But the bird’s special feature is its very long beak. With such a beak, it is easy for a pelican to catch fish, but the bird spends most of its time with its head resting on its shoulders due to the heavy load on its neck.

But among flightless birds, the ostrich takes honorable first place. With its heaviness - up to 156 kg, the ostrich is considered the fastest biped on earth - it is capable of reaching speeds of up to 97 km/h. The ostrich has very long legs and neck. Information about the primitiveness of this bird is not made up. The brain size is comparable to walnut, which causes low level intelligence.

Anaconda and Reticulated Python

These two representatives of the world fauna are placed in the same place for the following reasons: the python is longer than the anaconda, but inferior in weight. For comparison, the maximum recorded length of an anaconda is 7.5 meters, and that of a python is 9.5 meters.

Common sunfish

This is the name given to marine bony fish, which have left their relatives far behind in size. The average individual weighs 1 ton and grows up to 2.5 meters wide. This sea animal got its name because unusual shape the body is round, with torn edges.

This huge rodent, weighing 105 kilograms, can grow up to 1.35 meters in length and up to 60cm in height. Funny heavy animals lead a semi-aquatic lifestyle and look like guinea pigs. There is an opinion that capybaras are the kindest creatures on the planet and one cannot but agree with this. Although they do not cause affection, they get along well not only with people, but also with pets - dogs, cats.

Kalong or giant flying fox

A member of the fruit bat family. To an ordinary person may remind bat. But this is only due to the method of attachment to the branches. The kalong's muzzle is very similar to a dog or fox. Kalongs feed on fruits and usually surround plantations in flocks, causing damage agriculture. The wingspan reaches one and a half meters.

Flanders

Descendant of the Patagonian hare. The breed was developed in the late 17th century in Belgium and is still used for both livestock and domestic use. The Guinness Book of Records records the largest representative of this breed. Its weight is 12 kg. The average individual grows to 8–9 kg. Due to its size, the hare looks awkward and disproportionate, which seems quite cute. Flanders are often kept as pets.

Chinese giant salamander

Amphibians are considered an endangered species because they can only live in clean water. Deterioration ecological situation in the world has a detrimental effect on the population of Chinese salamanders. Research by scientists gives a sad forecast - in the 21st century, these unique animals, reaching 180 cm in length, will completely disappear from the earth.

Coastal predator. 7 meters long and weighing up to 2 tons, the crocodile literally becomes a deadly carnivorous machine for unwary animals. Besides saltwater crocodiles are able to trace animal behavior, such as migration routes, and also develop complex behavioral traits. Therefore, crocodiles become an object of cult among many peoples, causing trembling fear.

The subspecies of the seal family is distinguished by its enormous weight - up to 5 tons, and length: females - up to 3.5 meters, males - up to 6.5 meters. Large creatures can dive to sea depths of 1,400 meters for prey - fish and cephalopods. The seal is constantly in the water, even in its sleep.

Polar bear

The largest land omnivorous predator that inhabits the earth in our time. The largest predatory animal weighs 1 ton. Male individuals usually weigh at least 500 kg. It mainly feeds on marine animals, which it catches from under the ice.

Giraffe

The tallest mammal on the planet. Weighing 1 ton, an adult male giraffe reaches 6 meters in height. Representatives of this species are widespread in Africa. They are exclusively herbivores, and this growth allows them to forage for food in trees. The giraffe seems to be leisurely, but this is a myth. These mammals are capable of moving at a speed of 55 km/h, and over short distances they can easily leave behind racehorse. Because of long legs A giraffe can only walk on hard surfaces, so ponds or swampy areas are a no-go zone for it.

Savannah elephant

The largest land animal. The recorded weight record is 12.2 tons. The diet of the savannah elephant is exclusively plant-based. It is noteworthy that an adult male needs to eat up to 300 kg of leaves and grass per day. They prefer a nomadic lifestyle. The most experienced female becomes the leader of the herd. Males in the herd remain until sexual maturity. At maturity, African elephants move into bachelor herds. And then they prefer a solitary lifestyle. In search of food, an adult elephant can walk up to 12 kilometers a day.

The largest animal in the world and it is also the largest mammal. The inhabitant of the oceans is ubiquitous. His gigantic size are amazing: weight 150 tons and length up to 33 meters. It is not surprising that even photographs are not able to fully convey the greatness of this creature. Feeds blue whale plankton and rarely extends beyond the coastal zone.

Prehistoric giants

Thanks to archaeological excavations, paleontologists have been able to provide information about giant individuals that lived millions of years ago. The next selection is just about these creatures.

This dinosaur is considered the largest animal in the world, living 150 million years ago BC. It reached 48 meters, which is much larger than the size of the living leader of the giants - the blue whale. Archaeologists have only been able to excavate and identify parts of the spine of this majestic reptile. The existence of this species is currently questioned, so archaeological excavations plan to resume.

The progenitor of modern boas is much longer - up to 13 meters and weighing 1 ton. Lived 60 million years ago.

An apex predator shark that lives in the ocean. Only the tooth of this 48-ton monster would hardly fit in the hands of a person. It is believed that the megalodon's jaws could bite through food weighing 10 tons.

We all know well that the largest animals, or giant animals, lived on our Earth millions of years ago - these are various dinosaurs, mammoths, terrible birds and many, many other prehistoric animals. Their gigantic size and appearance seem overwhelming to us today.

But even today our world is full of the most amazing creatures, which amaze with their shapes and sizes. It’s even hard to imagine what could have influenced their height and weight, but they are who they are, the main thing is that they feel quite comfortable among us. What kind of animals are these, and in what natural conditions they live, that's what we'll talk about today. The rating is based on the weight, height and also length of the animals.

1 place. Blue or blue whale

The largest living animal on Earth is the blue or blue whale (lat. Balaenoptera musculus). Even dinosaurs cannot compete with him - his size is impressive. This marine mammal grows up to 30 meters in length, can weigh more than 180 tons, even the tongue of this giant weighs about 2.7 tons (the size of a medium-sized Asian elephant). The weight of a blue whale's heart is about 600 kilograms - this is the most a big heart in the world.

The huge lungs of the blue whale (the volume of which is 3 thousand liters) allow it to remain at a depth without oxygen for about 20 minutes. The maximum speed developed by this mammal is about 35 km/h, and the fountain it produces when reaching the surface is up to 10 m.

2nd place. Sperm whale

The next representative is (lat. Physeter catodon) is the only representative of the sperm whale family today. It is the largest among toothed whales. The male sperm whale grows up to 20 m in length, and weighs up to 50 tons. Females are less impressive in size - from 11 to 13 m, and weigh about 15 tons.

I wonder what the head adult makes up approximately 35% of the total body length. There are sperm whales of larger sizes, but this is rather the exception. In nature, sperm whales have practically no enemies. The exception is killer whales, which attack females and calves; they cannot compete with an adult male.

3rd place. African elephant

African elephant (lat. Loxodonta africana) is the largest land animal living on earth. Includes two types - and. It occupies an honorable third place in this ranking. With a height of 3 to 3.5 meters and a body length of 6-7.5 m, the mass of these animals can reach up to 6, or even 12 tons. Female African elephants are smaller than males: they grow up to 2.7 meters in height and 5.4-6.9 m in length.

Despite its impressive size, it can move at a speed of 35-40 km/h (it can easily overtake a person). He can eat 300 kg per day plant food. Due to its enormous mass, it sleeps standing up. A very smart animal that is capable of mutual assistance and compassion. But, despite this, it is one of the most dangerous animals on the planet.

4th place. Indian elephant

Indian, or asian elephant(lat. Elephas maximum) is the second largest land animal after the African elephant. The height can reach 2.5-3.5 m, the length of its body is about 5.5-6 m, and this elephant’s tail is not short - 1-1.5 m. This elephant can weigh from 5 to 5.5 tons . Females, just like African elephants, are much smaller.

These elephants are forest dwellers. Prefer light tropical and subtropical broadleaf forests with dense undergrowth, which consists of bushes and bamboo. They move easily through dense forests and swampy areas. They live in groups led by the oldest and most experienced female.

5th place. Southern elephant seal

Southern elephant seal (lat. Mirounga leonina) – considered the largest pinniped in the world. These large and corpulent animals can grow up to 6 m in length and weigh up to 4-5 tons.

They can stay under water for about 2 hours (an officially registered record), and dive to a depth of more than 1300 meters. They spend their entire lives in the ocean, and rarely come to land - mainly during the breeding season.

6th place. Hippopotamus or hippopotamus

Hippopotamus (lat. Hippopotamus amphibius) is a mammal from the order Artiodactyla and the suborder Porciniformes. Native to Africa.

Hippos can reach up to 1.5-1.65 meters, their body length can be from 3 to 5 meters, and their weight can be 3 tons or more. These animals increase their mass throughout their lives, their teeth also grow throughout their lives and can reach 0.5 m in length. Interestingly, the skin alone weighs 0.5 tons.

7th place. White rhinoceros

White rhinoceros (lat. Ceratotherium simum) – the 2nd largest herbivore on the planet. Adults grow in height - up to 1.6-2 m, in length - about 3.8-4.2 m.

The average weight of a white rhinoceros is about 3 tons, there are individuals much larger - about 8 tons. It is interesting that white rhinoceros not white at all, but rather grey. It probably received this name from a distorted Boer word “wijde”, which means “wide-faced” - consonant with English word“white” (Russian white).

8th place. Walrus

Walruses (lat. Odobenus rosmarus) is one of the ancient large animals that have existed since the last ice age. Fossils found in San Francisco Bay date back approximately 28,000 years.

And even now these giants grow up to 3 m in length and weigh up to 2 tons, the thickness of the skin (on the neck and shoulders of males) is up to 10 cm, and the layer of fat is up to 15 cm. Large ones are perfectly adapted for life in the harsh conditions of the Arctic. They feed mainly on shellfish, but can also eat fish.

9th place. Black rhinoceros

Black rhinoceros (lat. Rhinoceros bicornis) – slightly finer than white. The weight of this animal does not exceed 1.5-2 tons, the body length is about 3-3.5 meters, the height at the shoulders is 1.5-1.6 m. Their habit of moving along the same paths and poor vision makes them vulnerable and defenseless against poachers.

The black rhinoceros has no natural enemies, so it is not at all timid and because of this it automatically becomes an easy trophy for hunters. Interestingly, the body of the black rhinoceros is more elongated in length and it is lighter than the white one.

10th place. Saltwater crocodile

Saltwater, or saltwater crocodile (lat. Crocodylus porosus) is the largest and most massive reptile on the planet. The saltwater crocodile can grow up to 5.5-7 meters (usually 5 m) in length, the weight of an adult (male) is from 409 kg to 1.5 tons.

Interesting fact: it has a high commercial value because of its skin, from which various types of clothing, shoes, etc. are made. It is hunted and bred on crocodile farms.

Modern species of animals are absolutely not inferior in size to prehistoric animals, but if people do not treat wild nature with due respect, then they will all become extinct just like those that lived millions of years ago.

Some Marine life much larger than land animals. In this material we will look at the ten largest animals in size and weight that live in the world's oceans.

The length of an adult walrus is 4 m, and its body weight exceeds 2 tons. A distinctive feature of walruses is their huge, elongated upper fangs, which are called tusks. The tusks reach 1 m in length and are used by walruses during battles for females, as well as to facilitate climbing onto ice floes. Because of these tusks, walruses were given a scientific name, translated from Greek which means “walking on teeth.”

Despite their menacing appearance, walruses are very shy animals. While resting on land, they post sentries who closely monitor the situation and warn the entire herd of the danger. They are very sociable and constantly supporting each other animals. After the mating fever, when males can fight for the right to mate with a female, they all raise the young together and help with feeding.

Walruses live in the north, making rookeries on pack ice.

A huge seal, growing up to 6.5 m in length and reaching a weight of more than 4 tons. The elephant seal got its name from its trunk-shaped nose. The male elephant seal is extremely different aggressive behavior during mating season, when for the sake of mating he is ready to trample and tear apart other rivals, not paying attention to anything. By gathering in groups and sorting out relationships among themselves, elephant seals can easily crush young calves or females, which are significantly smaller than males. Every year, during the mating period, a significant number of young animals die from strangulation and strangulation, and males die from wounds received earlier than from natural death.

Elephant seals live on the west coast North America and in Antarctica. The Antarctic (southern) elephant seal is significantly larger than its northern counterpart.

8. Saltwater crocodile

- not exactly a sea animal. It lives in the swamps and mangroves of the tropical region, but can sometimes travel by sea, covering distances of 600 km or more. Therefore, it can be seen, for example, off the coast of Japan, although it has never lived there and does not live there. The reasons for such long migrations are not fully known. According to some assumptions, saltwater crocodiles, which are solitary by nature, seek more secluded habitats; according to others, they seek regions richer in food. But whatever the reason, such guests in sea bays and bays terrify not only local residents, but also on local predators. The crocodile easily displaces even sharks from their favorite coastal areas, which simply retreat, unable to do anything to oppose the impenetrable armor of the reptile.

This crocodile is the only reptile that grows more than 5 m in length. Adult saltwater crocodiles grow up to 7 m in length and reach a mass of 2 tons.

Adult killer whales are large sea ​​predators. In captivity in aquariums we do not see record-breaking specimens, but in nature their length reaches 10 m and their weight exceeds 8 tons. Every day, adult killer whales require up to 150 kg. meat, and in search of it they spend most of their lives, attacking all living things that can satisfy their hunger. The killer whale has the nickname “killer whale” for a reason - it is the largest carnivore on the planet. They're on top the food chain, hunting others, and large fish.

Killer whales are extremely intelligent animals. They make perfect use of their group skills when hunting. Cases of attacks on walruses and fur seals that tried to hide on a lonely ice floe are well known and documented. Accelerating towards the ice floe, they raise a high wave, which washes the poor victim into the water, where she is not destined to escape. Killer whales are also the only marine predators that can jump ashore and grab fur seals- their favorite prey.

Killer whales live everywhere, but prefer the cool waters of the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. Most often they stay in the coastal strip.

Humpback whales grow up to 15 m, and the maximum recorded length was 18 m. Weight - 30 tons. It would seem that he should have a characteristic hump, but the main thing distinguishing feature humpback - long pectoral fins and huge “warts” on the snout. The length of the fins can reach 34% of the body length. They are playing important role in the life of an animal - they participate in thermoregulation, increase maneuverability and help in hunting. Humpback whales often hunt in groups, diving under a school of fish and surrounding it with small air bubbles. Surrounded by such a wall of bubbles, the fish gets lost and huddles into a dense lump, which is swallowed by humpback whales that suddenly appear from the depths.

The buckles of humpback whales and their striking of the surface with their tail and fins are known. They are even capable of jumping completely out of the water.

Humpback whales live throughout the world's oceans. They often approach the banks to feed.

It grows up to 20 m in length and reaches a weight of 30 tons. It is a slender whale and can reach speeds of 50 km/h. (according to other sources his maximum speed is 25 km/h) in contrast to its “thicker” relatives. The sei whale dives well, diving to a depth of up to 300 m and remaining under water for up to 20 minutes.

Sei whale was the most important commercial fishery after man practically destroyed the blue whale and fin whale. Currently, fishing for this whale is completely prohibited.

The sei whale lives in all oceans, preferring warm tropical waters.

The weight of an adult sperm whale reaches 50 tons, and its body length is 20 m. This is the largest representative of toothed whales - unlike baleen whales, they have teeth and hunt fish, cephalopods and in rare cases on others marine mammals. The sperm whale is known for its huge head, which takes up 35% of its body length. The word “sperm whale” itself comes from “ cachola", which means "big head". On a huge head, the whale's mouth looks small, but this appearance is deceiving. One of his teeth weighs 1 kg.

The whale lives in all oceans, but avoids cold areas. It stays far from the shore, where there is great depth and their favorite prey lives - squid. The sperm whale also hunts huge giant squid. Fights with them “reward” the whale with characteristic scars from the suckers of these mollusks.

The record length of the bowhead whale was 22 m and its weight was 150 tons. This weight is comparable to the weight of the animal that took first place in our top list, but it is seriously inferior to it in length. But the bowhead whale holds the record for life expectancy. With an average life expectancy of 40 years, according to some scientists, this whale can live up to 211 years. Among vertebrates this is absolute record, however, it was recently discovered that the Arctic shark lives even longer - up to an unimaginable 512 years.

The bowhead whale spends its entire life in the cold polar waters of the Northern Hemisphere, retreating south from the growing ice in the winter and returning back in the spring. If a whale gets caught in ice, it breaks it with its huge body.

Adult individuals reach a length of 27 m and a weight of more than 70 tons. These giants have chosen the open ocean, rarely approaching the shores. They prefer solitude, although sometimes small groups of 4-6 whales are found. Despite their enormous length, fin whales are quite flexible and “slender”. They swim faster and dive deeper than many other cetaceans. The maximum recorded speed of the fin whale is 50 km/h, and its diving depth exceeds 250 m. Its speed allows it to feed not only on stationary krill, but also on small schooling fish.

After uncontrolled fishing for fin whales in the middle of the 20th century. The hunting of this whale was completely prohibited. In 2006, Iceland again allowed hunting for it. The current estimate of the number of fin whales is 50-55 thousand individuals.

Not only the largest modern animal, but also the largest that has ever lived on our planet. The maximum length of this giant is 33 meters, and its weight can exceed 150 tons. They live 80-90 years, and the oldest known blue whale was 110 years old. Like other cetaceans, it feeds exclusively on plankton, consuming 1 ton of it every day.

Uncontrolled fishing for the blue whale has almost completely destroyed it. In the 1960s, its population was estimated at only 5,000 individuals. In a timely manner Taken measures on the protection of the whale have given their results and scientists currently estimate the number at 10,000 animals, which is already enough not to worry about the safety of the species.

The blue whale lives throughout the world's oceans.