Giraffes are the tallest terrestrial mammal in the world, according to the World Wildlife Federation. Male giraffes commonly reach five meters tall, which is the height of a single-story home. Even more impressive than that are their huge hearts. And we’re not talking about generosity. These gentle creatures have a two-foot heart and a blood pressure that’s up to three times greater than a healthy human’s. This is necessary for the animal to pump blood up its excessively long neck.
Giraffes are so tall that it’s difficult for them to stand up from a seated position. For this reason, you can almost always expect them to find them standing up. A calf, just a few hours after being born, can already run around. As an advantage to their long height, they can eat the best leaves at the top of tall trees which is basically like the cherry on top!
Lou with the Longest Ears
Many dogs can claim to have extremely long ears. But the dog that ended up smashing all the records was an adorable coonhound by the name of Lou. Black and tanned in color, Lou instantly caught the eye of owner Paige Olsen, who fell in love with her from day one.
While her exceedingly long ears were something of a joke at home, things got pretty serious once Paige actually decided to measure them one day. It turns out that Lou's ears come in at 34cm long (each). "Lou is a black and tan coonhound, and all of them should have ears that extend at least to the tip of their nose," Paige said.
The World's Biggest Dog
The record for the world's biggest dog gets broken from time to time. At one point though, that title went to the beautiful Great Dane that was Giant George. At his peak, George had an incredible height of 43 inches and weighed a whopping 245 lbs. That's like the weight of the average wrestler!
Giant George was something of a celebrity in his heyday. At one point, he even showed up on an episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show." On the way to the studio, the dog ended up taking up three airline seats all to himself. Sadly though, George passed away in 2013.
The Cat with the Longest Tail
Another cat who sadly perished in that house fire was the beautiful Cygnus. And amazingly, this domestic house cat also made it into the Guinness World Records. He was officially known as the cat with the world's longest tail. It stretched to longer than 17 inches in length.
The owners had the following to say when posting online about Cygnus's untimely passing: "With regard to our discovery of Cygnus and Arcturus, they were best friends in life and it gives us a small amount of peace that they were together at the end of their amazing journey on this earth."
The Tallest Cat to Ever Live
Meet Arcturus. At one point, this beautiful feline was the tallest domestic cat on the planet. At just over 19 inches in height, Arcturus could easily reach for food from the kitchen counter and leap to heights that most cats could only dream of.
Unfortunately, Arcturus passed away in a home fire. But prior to his untimely passing, Arcturus had the honor of being presented on the Guinness World Records official website so that the entire world could bare witness to his huge size. He had plenty of followers on social media and was loved dearly by his owners.
The Hercules Moth
It should be no mystery as to why this winged creature is referred to as the Hercules moth. While it is an incredibly strong moth, that's not even the most interesting detail. This intimidating insect usually has a wingspan as an adult of about 27 centimeters, which makes it the largest moth in all of Australia.
This photo shows the Hercules moth in all of its glory, spreading and flapping its wings as it flies through the rainforest in the Ambua Lodge, Tari, in the Hela province of Papua New Guinea. If you want the living daylights scared out of you - come to this part of the world.
The Gargantuan Sea Cucumber
There is no denying that sea cucumbers are strange creatures. These marine animals are best known for being long in shape, with leathery skin, and living on the sea floor. In this photo, we can see a scuba diver hanging out underwater with a sea cucumber in the North Male Atoll of the Maldives.
This type of sea cucumber is also known as the amber fish. Due to their particularly large size, the T. anax are popular in the commercial fishing industry and are also widely exported because of their medicinal properties. Whatever the case may be, they do look very weird.
The Largest Bird in the World
While ironically they can't fly, this doesn't stop the ostrich from having the official title of being the biggest bird on the planet. This colossal winged creature can usually weigh up to 287 pounds and more of than not, will grow up to 9 feet. And that's not all. Ostriches also have a wingspan of up to 7 feet.
While they can't use them for flying, ostriches will use their wings to navigate through their 43-mile-per-hour runs. In this photo, was can see a pair of Ostriches taking care of their young chicks in a nature reserve park in the Middle East.
A Rare Giant Squid
Look, we understand that the biggest the fish you catch, the more impressive it is - but this is taking things way too far in our humblest opinion. This photo was taken in the Ross Sea, Antarctica. A fishing long-line boat known as San Aspiring came across the world's first intact adult male Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni - otherwise known as a colossal squid.
This enormous creature weighs a world record 450 kilos and is about 10 meters long. What's more, is that the next biggest creature ever found was 150 kilos lighter! At the time of its discovery, the squid was feasting on a hooked toothfish.
Another Lap Dog
There sure seems to be a pattern developing here when it comes to massive dogs who like to sit on laps. This dog, however, seems to never have outgrown that love! Some might even think he's the world's biggest husky!
His human companion's head pops up from behind him; it would be scary how big his dog is if it wasn't so comical. We wouldn't be surprised if we saw a headline one day about the dog who just would not stop growing. He ended up being bigger than the Empire State Building and still chose to sit on his owner's lap!
Lapdog
This gentle beast is part American wolfdog and part Malamute, and by the looks of it, his massive size definitely comes from the Malamute part... It also looks like he's super cuddly. To be honest, it looks like a stuffed toy that also doubles are a snuggly blanket.
We imagine this guy is extremely comfortable right now, especially as this photo was taken in the middle of the winter. This big boy should be free to roam the open fields, but instead, he prefers to sit super close to his person, paying no mind to his ginormous size. Sometimes, you just have to accept the love.
The Largest Insect in the World
Up until the year 2016, the largest insect in the world was the stick insect named a Phobaeticus Chani. The specimen which is currently being held in the Natural History Museum measures 56.7 centimeters (22.3 in). That's when the legs are fully extended. The body alone however still measures an awesome 357 mm (14.1 in).
But there's a new sheriff in town and the longest bug is officially the Phryganistria Chinensis Zhao, a new species of stick insect. The new species named after the Zhao Li of the Insect Museum of West China has been researched for years. At the museum, it laid 6 eggs. The offspring after hatching measured 26 centimeters.
The Biggest Atlas Beetle
The gorilla of the insect world, the Atlas beetle is one sizeable bug. Belonging to the rhinoceros beetle species which is already a king in the beetle world can measure up to 5.1 inches (13 centimeters.) Aptly named after the Titan that was doomed to hold up the earth for eternity, this critter can certainly carry its load too.
They're also notoriously vicious and have been known to fight to the death as early as the larvae stage if there is not enough of space or food. These beetles can be found in Southern Asia, particularly Indonesia. Ironically, we wonder if these beetles like to climb any mountains from time to time.
The Largest Primate
When it comes to primates, the eastern gorilla rules in size and can measure up to 6 feet with a weight of about 400 pounds on average. These beasts generally reside in the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Rwanda. Gorilla Beringei wins the title of the largest primate in the world, with a height of up to 6.2 feet and a weight of roughly 450 pounds, according to Gorillas-World.
While these behemoths roam the jungles of eastern and central Africa, the heaviest gorilla was actually found to be in St.Louis. This huge primate named Phil was raised in the zoo. Phil the eastern lowland gorilla, was slightly shorter but weighed 860 pounds. He died in 1958. Sadly, around 5000 gorillas remain in those African jungles today, making them critically endangered.
That's One Shaggy Dog
This big boy looks like a Golden Doodle, but when you scroll down and see the third photo, you might think he must have another breed in the mix; how else would he have gotten so big? No matter how big this adorable pooch might get - in his mind, he will always be his owner's puppy.
He's the perfect height for a dance partner; we wonder if the local dance competition will allow this shaggy fellow as our partner when we enter for the waltz? Again, another dog on this list who looks a lot like Chewbacca from the "Star Wars" film franchise.
This Giant Shipworm
Recorded to be both the largest living mollusk and bivalve, (mollusks with shells like clams, oysters, scallops, and mussels) this aquatic creature, known as a giant shipworm looks as scary as it sounds. Its long gooey pipe-like appearance that looks like it comes from a George Orwell novel was discovered accidentally by a research team working in the Philippines, led Dr. Distel.
When one of Distel's students stumbled on the mollusk, they knew they had discovered something quite spectacular. This strange creature lives in a shell that resembles an elephant tusk and measures between 3 and 5 feet long. The mollusk itself is the length of a baseball bat, according to Live Science. This species is also known to be the longest-surviving bivalve in history.
The World's Largest Millipede
Scaling down to our creepy crawly friends, this kind of "animal kingdom" has its own version of beasts and monsters, and one of them comes in the form of a millipede that measures 15 inches long and 2 inches in circumference. The average size of a millipede generally measures about 6 inches.
That should put this remarkable discovery into a bit of perspective. Even though a human towers over the full-grown African giant black millipede, its unusual and foreboding length gives it quite a frightening appearance, even to the toughest of us. Not to mention the fact that, as the name suggests, this thing has a lot of legs.
The Greatest Great Dane of All Time
This monstrous canine that's fed on a hearty diet of 2 pounds of ground beef daily, casserole steak, liver, and the odd chunk of sofa sponge measures 40.75 inches in length. Freddy, as he is named, resides in Essex, England, lives with his owner Clair Stoneman. She told the Telegraph that he has destroyed a number of couches, 26 to be exact.
Freddy is also now, at least according to the Guinness World Record, bigger than Zeus as of the year 2017. He is now 7 years old. And we imagine that at least handful of other sofas will get destroyed before everything is said and done.
Majestic Wolf
Believe it or not, this massive dog is actually part wolf! He was sent to an animal sanctuary where they sent his DNA for testing, and his results were 85 % Gray Wolf, 10 % Siberian Husky, and 4 % German Shepherd. Now we have heard for 23andme, but 23 and man's best friend?
We are not so familiar with that app, to be honest. Needless to say, he's as cute as he is fierce. But one thing is for sure - we wouldn't want to come face-to-face with him in the forest anytime soon! Also, these two are most definitely family.
Big Boy and Baby Boy
Everyone needs someone looking out for them if they are going to get anywhere in life. And this definitely is the case when babies are concerned. Of course, the bare minimum is to have a parent who raises you well and gives you enough love and support. But a huge dog can also go a long way.
The Newfie is just 16 months older than his new baby friend, and just look how big he is! Newfies are also known for being great babysitters because of their gentle nature. That little baby is probably wondering, "why am I not cuddling with the furball?" We know we would be!
Cassius The Giant Crocodile
Crocs are big and scary enough, there are no two ways about it. So imagine if you add a record-breaking Cassius Clay to the mix. When you do that, you have got yourself a really great story. While this crocodile may not be the biggest one in the world, it definitely made the books for the largest of its kind that was raised in captivity.
Since the year 2011, Cassius has been safely residing in a wildlife park situated in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and measures at a whopping 17 feet in length. That is roughly the size of two ping-pong tables. Imagine having two pairs of friends playing a couples of semi-finals on that thing.
This Dog Has The Longest Tounge
Speaking of Pekinese dogs, this little thing has won the record for the longest tongue on a dog in the world. In 2011, Puggy the Pekinese who hails from Texas and belongs to owner Becky Stanford has a tongue that hangs at 4.5 inches. That's longer than the tongue of any other dog and considering that this is one tiny breed, it is extremely impressive.
While this Puggy is a cutie, the slobbering factor might be a little too much to handle with a tongue like that. But having a the longest tongue in the world must have many pros and cons - especially when you are a dog.
Bleppity Blop
'Why walk when your person can carry you?' is probably what this fluffy pup was thinking on his morning walk. Some might even say he's a bit heavy to carry, but he'll just say he's a bit husky. If we're going to be completely honest, we feel like this cutie is what you get when you cross a dog with a polar bear.
Surely he can't handle such warm conditions. Whatever the case maybe, his dog-ma has quite a handful with him. Do you think he realizes how big he is? We don't think it's worth the effort, to be honest.
Super Long Horned Texas Longhorn
Texas Longhorns are famous for their...well, long horns, but Poncho stood out among the rest. Owner Jeral Pope decided that he just had to have this animal when he noticed one day a small herd of these steers outlined against the sunset. He knew at the moment he had to get to one. He found Poncho at 6 months and have been best friends ever since.
While the horns look pretty intimidating, the Pope family insists that Poncho is nothing but a huge softy. In May 2019, Poncho made the Guinness World records for having the largest horns on a living steer. The horns span at 10 feet and 7.4 inches. That's wider than two grand pianos.
Blossom the Whale of a Cow
Born to two totally normal-sized parents, Blossom the Cow was recorded to be the tallest cow in the world in 2014. The female Holstein belonged to the proud owner Patty Meads-Hanson who has cared for dear Blossom since she was eight weeks old. When Patty's father noticed the unusual and continuous growth, he suggested that Guinness World Records ought to check it out, thus making it official.
Blossom reached a height of 74.8 inches (over 6 feet tall.) Unfortunately, the cow passed away in May 2015 at age 13. According to Patty, Blossom lived a wonderful life, filled with daily chin rubs.
Barivel the Monster Domestic Cat
The longest domestic cat in the world is a fluffy feline named Barivel. Hailing from Italy, Barivel is a Maine Coon cat that measures at 3 feet and 11.2 inches long, officially making him the longest domesticated cat in the world, Guinness World Record official. At that size, you may as well trade it in for a baby tiger.
Though we bet that Barivel is irreplaceable. While this cat may be massive, it looks terribly domesticated and would probably never be caught dead pouncing on a mouse. From the looks of that quality fur, Barivel must have it pretty good.
Getting Out Of Hound
This is Seamus, and yes, he is an Irish Wolfhound that still likes to sit on the couch. Even sitting down, we can see the difference in size between this gentle giant and his human friend. Seamus is definitely the right 'hound' man to have if you ever need help guarding or just keeping strangers away.
Just the sheer size of him will scare the daylights out of us! In many ways, he reminds us of Han Solo's loyal sidekick Chewie. After all, he is also very fuzzy, a huge presence and will defend his owner no matter what. We just hope he also makes the same kind of noise as the iconic Wookiee.
Big Hug
This big Saint Bernard is named Heisenberg, after the famed German physicist, or it could be after the fictional character on the hit TV series "Breaking Bad." If so, maybe it's referring to Walter White before he met Jesse Pinkman and became "the one who knocks."
One thing is for sure, this big boy is "the one who hugs," and probably "the one who barks too." We just hope he isn't "the one who bites." Heisenberg might be huge, but he doesn't let his size get in the way of a good old-fashioned cuddle. His human friend, better be careful; he might injure his back one day!
Zorba, The Giant English Mastiff
Breaking the Guinness World Record in 2008, this English Mastiff held the record for the largest dog in the world from the year 1989. Zorba, the goliath of a dog is currently still the longest dog, measuring an insane 8 feet. The behemoth is also considered the heaviest dog in the world, weighing at 343 pounds.
If you need a point of reference, this breed of dog usually grows to weigh around 230 pounds - a typical size of a pro wrestler. Zorba even made an appearance on the "David Letterman Show" in 1989. If he was alive today he would be a social media sensation.
The 3-Pound Goldfish
A fisher named Mike Martin recently got his hands on a giant goldfish. Initially trying to catch some perch on Lake St. Clair, just north of Detroit, Michigan. Martin ended up reeling in a 15-inch goldfish that tipped the scales at 3 pounds. The average goldfish fit for your home fishbowl measures at just a couple inches. The main question on his mind is, how did this get so big?
According to National Geographic, legend has it that about 2000 years, the Chinese were domesticating carp. Over time mutations occurred, resulting in the orange-colored fish we know today as goldfish. These fish were transported in the 1600s to Europe and then to America in the 1850s. Some researchers believed that a few fish escaped during these imports and are offshoots of bigger carp.
Meet Koji
With such a tender gaze in Koji's eyes, it would be hard not to cuddle him; he is like a new kind of body pillow! Not into body pillows? Koji would make a great security blanket. Not only will Koji make you feel safe, lower your anxiety, but it will also be the right kind of clingy.
Why get a body pillow when you can just get another Koji? And we can't help but wonder - is Koji just a good-boy version of the infamous dog from the Stephen King novel "Kujo?" If so, that is one clash of the canine titans we would love to see one day.
The Biggest Fish On The Planet: Ocean Sunfish
Meet Mola Mola, the Ocean Sunfish. They take the cake for being the biggest and heaviest bony fish on the planet. The Mola Mola is characterized by its flat body and a huge head. They usually weigh more than 2,200 pounds, with fins that reach up to eight feet in length. Some have even weighed up to 5,100 pounds with fins which measure 10.8 feet to 14 feet. You can find these fish in tropical and temperate waters.
They maintain a diet mostly of sea jellies. Because their diet lacks adequate nutrition, they eat large amounts in order to develop and maintain their weight. Female Sunfish can produce more eggs than any other known vertebrate, producing up to 300,000,000 at once. As large as they are, they are feasted on by sea lions, killer whales, and sharks.
The Titan Longhorn Beetle Is 6.6 Inches Long
This is not for those with entomophobia, or a fear of insects. Probably most of us wouldn't want to be stuck next to these huge Titan Longhorn beetles. Except of course, if you come from the rainforests of South America, where you might be used to seeing these critters as this kid looks like. They are found in countries like Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and north-central Brazil.
They maintain the status as one of the largest beetles on Earth. The biggest Titan specimen ever recorded was 6.6 inches long. Although Hercules beetles are longer sometimes, they are measured from their horns, which come out of their thorax. But, the Titans have bigger bodies. Their mandibles are so strong they can chop pencils in half! They use their strong jaws to ward off predators and hiss and bites.
The Three-Foot Long Coconut Crab
Coconut Crabs are the biggest known crabs in the world. They are a type of hermit crab. They can have a weight of up to nine pounds and grow up to 3 feet 3 inches in length from leg-to-leg. They reside on certain islands in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and as far away as the Gambier Islands.
They eat fruits, nuts, and seeds but they also sometimes eat carrion and other foods as well. Despite their name, they don't often eat coconut. The only times they climb are when they feel threatened or want to escape. I imagine we'd also want to escape if we saw one of these crawling on our walls.
The Leatherback Sea Turtle
Meet the leatherback sea turtle, the largest turtle alive today. It is also one of the heaviest reptiles alive in the world. Although it's a turtle, the leatherback doesn’t have a bone shell. While most turtles have a shell, the leatherback is with its skin exposed. The average size of leatherbacks is 6 to 7 feet in length.
They can weigh between 550 to 1,540 pounds. Leatherbacks around the Caribbean hold the average in size per region. There, they can weigh around 847 pounds. Not much is known about their lifespans. These turtles feast mostly on jellyfish. They reside in oceans all over the world.
Things Are Kind Of Fishy With This Gigantic Goldfish
While huge carp sometimes is greater than 90lbs, goldfish aren't known for their size. If anything, they are known for their tiny size. But, in the wild, they can grow to be pretty big. Many kids keep goldfish as pets. When they are tired of caring for them, they may think to go dump them in the lake.
That's actually the worst thing that you can do for a goldfish. The invasive species has several natural predators and the number continues to grow. Recently, researchers discovered a four-pound goldfish. I assume that's bigger than the small pet you won at the carnival last year.
The World’s Largest Tortoise Weighed 919 lbs.
Tortoises are big, but none surpassed the size of Goliath. In the 1960s, this hatchling found a home at Seffner’s Life Fellowship Bird Sanctuary. He continued to grow until reaching a weight of 919 lbs. Although most tortoises reach their maximum height when they are 30 years old, Goliath never stopped growing.
These types of tortoises thrive in the Galapagos Islands and the Aldabra Atoll. There are an estimated 25,000 of them, which seems like a lot of these heavy creatures, but they were once more widespread. Although Goliath passed away in 2002, his legacy as the largest tortoise lives on.
I'm Ready For My Lap Time Now
Here is a different type of Mastiff breed we haven't seen before, a Spanish Mastiff, and his size sure stays true to the Mastiff name. Often owners adopt these dogs as puppies when they are still quite small, unaware of how big they really get! We are sure there is some photo trickery going on here. It's all about perspective, folks.
But nevertheless, there is no denying that this dog is much bigger than your average canine. And oh boy, do they get big. Just look how big he is compared to his human companion, he hasn't realized yet that he has outgrown her lap...
Largest Land Carnivores
Our list would be incomplete without the Polar Bear and Kodiak bear. These are the world's largest land carnivores. A male polar bear can weigh between 772 to 1,543 pounds. Females can weigh half that amount. The polar bear uses sea ice to hunt seals. As a result of climate change and the sea ice melting, Polar Bears are being deeply impacted.
There are an estimated 20-25,000 polar bears currently alive. While Polar Bears are huge and often get the reputation of being aggressive, this is actually hardly the case. When faced with a confrontation, they choose to walk away if possible.
A Huge 36 Foot Great White Was Pulled Up In South Australia
There's a reason why Great white sharks have their name and that's because they're well, great. They average 20 feet in length and 5,000 pounds but they are often much bigger than that. The biggest great white sharks ever to be taken from the ocean measured 36 and 37 feet long, according to The Guinness Book of World Records.
The biggest of the two was caught in Port Fairy, South Australia in the 1870s, while the smaller monster was caught in the 1930s in New Brunswick, Canada. I can only imagine how big those teeth must have been! Great whites are found in the coastal surface waters of all major oceans. They can live for longer than 70 years. They can swim at speeds over than 56 kilometers per hour and to depths of 1,200 meters.
Pin Day Kam the Giant Goldfish
It's not every day that one can simply show off their giant goldfish to the world. But that's exactly what Lee Tak-sun can do. This fish breeder from Hong Kong can be seen putting his two-year-old 1.54kg goldfish Pin Day Kam on display for the world to see.
He hopes his beloved fish can seize the world record for the heaviest goldfish on the planet. Lee owns the Sun Sun Fishing Farm at Ngau Tam Mei in Yuen Long. Goldfish are actually very intelligent, despite people assuming the opposite. But Pin Day Kam is never going to steal the headlines for his intelligence, that's for sure.
This 922-Pound Liger Is The World’s Largest Living Cat
Meet Hercules, the 922-pound liger. Hercules is a hybrid offspring from a male lion and a female tiger. Ligers enjoy swimming like tigers and are sociable like lions. Hercules lives at the Myrtle Beach Safari wildlife preserve home. He measures in at 131 inches long and 39 inches tall at the shoulder.
Despite his fierce appearance, he still enjoys feeding on a bottle by his keepers and likes to play like a kitten despite being over 100 times the average weight of a house cat. Ligers are much larger than pure-bred tigers and lions and can grow to twice the size.
Supersize Spiders
If you have a fear of spiders, you'll want to steer clear of the Goliath Spider. Also known as the bird-eating spider, it is the largest spider in the world in terms of mass and size. They live in the rainforest of South America in which it makes its home in burrows. Females can live from 15 to 25 years, while males only live from 3 to 6 years.
Despite its name, it only sometimes eats adult birds. Instead, it often feasts upon other spiders, amphibians, snakes, and rodents. The Goliath Spider is venomous, although its venom isn’t as strong as you might imagine and isn't much more powerful than the venom from a wasp sting.
Gentle Giant
The blue whale may hold the title for being the largest animal on earth, but the whale shark is the world's largest fish. Despite being a shark, it is not thought to be a dangerous animal and actually is known to be playful and let divers catch a ride on its back.
They generally live in tropical waters near the equator and is a filter feeder. They eat mostly plankton but sometimes, they may also eat small squid, small fish, and krill. The largest whale shark to be measured was 41.5 feet in length and weighed 47,000 pounds. Now that is big.
This 222 lbs. Siamese Carp Is The Real Deal
Nowadays, no pictures are posted to social media without undergoing a lot of touching up and added effects. So, it's easy to assume that everything is Photoshopped. While you may think that this picture has been Photoshopped, it's as real as it gets. This huge 222 lbs Siamese carp was pulled out of a lake in Ban Pon, Thailand after a 90-minute battle trying to capture it.
27-year-old fisherman Tim Webb finally managed to tame the beast and caught the fish by using bread and bran rice as bait (like many of us, carbs were his downfall). After Webb captured the photo with two other fishermen, he transported the great giant to his own fishery 25 miles from the lake. It took six people to lift the fish into his truck. We hope that the fish is living a happy life in his new home.
Sammy the Tortoise
Colin Kaepernick is known for being a quarterback with the San Francisco 49ers. He is a talented player who plays smoothly and is a fierce ball of fire. His giant pet tortoise, Sammy, is quite the exact opposite of that. Sammy weighs around 115 pounds. His species is one of the third-largest species of tortoises in the world.
These turtles can live up to 150 years. Because a tortoise can outlive its owner, some owners are so dedicated to their pet turtles that they put them in their will. In 2013, when the San Francisco 49ers were going to the super bowl, Sammy the Tortoise had his own Twitter feed and had a great deal of opinions to share with the world.
A Red Tibetan Mastiff Sold For $1.5 Million
The Tibetan Mastiff is a massive Tibetan dog breed that originates with the nomadic cultures of Tibet, China, Pakistan, India, Mongolia, and Nepal. Local Tibetan tribes use them to protect their sheep from wolves, leopards, bears, and tigers. Adult Tibetan Mastiffs can weigh up to 286 pounds. In 2011, this red Tibetan mastiff became the most expensive dog in the world after it was sold for 10 million Chinese yuan which is the equivalent of $1.5 million.
While in America, people show off wealth with big homes and expensive cars, in China, owning one of these dogs has become a status symbol. The color of these animals is red, which for the Chinese, symbolizes a lucky color. They are thought of as holy animals and believed to give their owners better health and security. You'll see another dog later on this list who was once the runt and grew to a staggering 245 pounds!
Komodo Dragons Might As Well Be Dinosaurs
Just when you thought that dinosaurs were gone for good, we go and introduce you to the Komodo dragon. No, this isn't a dinosaur, but it's easy to understand from looking at this thing how dinosaurs really did roam the earth once during prehistoric times. The species is millions of years old and is the largest living lizard. It's the real-life dragon which is equivalent to our "Game of Thrones" favorites.
Although the Komodo dragon can't spit fire or fly, it can easily take down prey as large as water buffalo. The dragon can grow to a length of 10 feet and up to a weight in the 300-pound range. The average Komodos are usually around 155 lbs. The largest Komodo dragon to ever be recorded was 366 pounds and reached a staggering 10.3 feet in length.
These Mega-Horns Aren’t Photoshopped
While this steer is far from being the biggest cow, his giant horns look like they're straight out of a sci-fi movie. It looks like they’ve been CGI-ed for our wildest fantasies, but they’re completely real and not photo-shopped. This is Lurch, an African Watusi steer. He has the largest horn circumference of any steer in the world at 37.5 inches.
His horns ended up being his cause of death in 2010 when cancer spread from the base of his horns. The legend of Lurch will live on in our memories. He’s survived by his loving owner Janice Wolf, who lives in Gassville, Arkansas.
Goliath Frog
The Goliath frog may not be the largest amphibian on earth, but it is the largest living species of frogs in the world. They can reach a weight of seven pounds or grow up to 12.6 inches. They live in Africa, in Cameroon, and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea in rivers.
Goliath frogs feast on spiders, small snakes, crabs, turtles, smaller frogs, worms and other insects. They only eat small snakes as larger snakes eat Goliath frogs. While Goliath frogs can live for up to 15 years, they are currently regarded as an endangered species due to habitat loss and being collected for food and the pet trade.
The Friendly 17 Hands Donkey
Romulus received the title of the "Tallest Living Donkey" in 2013 when he was 19 years old. He measures at 17 hands in length and is much larger than the common donkey, who usually has a length of eight hands. Romulus resides in Texas along with his owner and his brother Remus and other animals, such as horses, goats, and some more donkeys.
They are very accepting of the donkey and his huge size. Apparently, they aren't fazed by his large size and love playing with him. When Romulus isn't busy chasing the others around the farm, he can be found sleeping in the shade or nibbling on her bale. His owners are Phil and Cara Barker Yellott.
The Goliath Beetle
The Goliath Beetle is one of the largest insects in the world. In the larval stage, it can weigh 2.8 – 3.5 oz and measure up to 9.8 inches. They actually decrease in size as they get older and as adults are about half their size. An adult male Goliath beetle reaches a length of 2.4- 4.3 inches. Goliath Beetles live in the tropical forest in Africa.
Males and females are distinguished by the horn that males use to fight other males for food or potential mates. In the wild, they eat tree sap and a high-protein diet. When they are kept as pets, caretakers usually choose to feed the beetles cat and dog food as a supplement for protein.
Giraffes as Tall as A Single-Story House
Giraffes are the tallest terrestrial mammal in the world, according to the World Wildlife Federation. Male giraffes commonly reach five meters tall, which is the height of a single-story home. Even more impressive than that are their huge hearts. And we're not talking about generosity. These gentle creatures have a two-foot heart and a blood pressure that’s up to three times greater than a healthy human’s. This is necessary for the animal to pump blood up its excessively long neck.
Giraffes are so tall that it's difficult for them to stand up from a seated position. For this reason, you can almost always expect them to find them standing up. A calf, just a few hours after being born, can already run around. As an advantage to their long height, they can eat the best leaves at the top of tall trees which is basically like the cherry on top!
King of the Jellyfish
The Lion’s Mane Jellyfish is the largest species of jellyfish in the world! The creature gets its name from the association of its tentacles appearing like the hairs on a lion’s mane. The biggest recorded specimen of a Lion’s Mane was found on a shore in Massachusetts Bay in 1870. The bell of this colossus measured about seven feet and six inches.
And with tentacles reaching up to 121 feet, it may be a while before we find another Lion’s Mane of this size. The Lion’s Mane jellyfish is a cold-water creature, found in the cold waters of the Arctic, northern Atlantic, and northern Pacific Oceans. It has a lifespan of about a year, and its diet consists of other smaller jellyfish.
A Lap Dog
This could be proof that everyone likes to cuddle, even bears! He's not really a bear, but we wouldn't have known any better if it wasn't for being on our list. In fact, we would have gone as far as to say that this is some kind of Yeti that got excavated from the polar ice caps and was somehow domesticated by some random guy!
He's a mountain Pyrenees, but don't tell him that; he likes to think he's the perfect lap dog. For such a big dog, he still manages to be as cute as a button, and look at all that fluff! We could imagine this adorable beast sitting on Santa's lap up in the North Pole, keeping him warm all year round before his big Christmas trip.
This Massive 22 Lbs. Lobster Finally Tasted Freedom
Louie, the giant 22-pound lobster was finally set free at 132 years old in the summer of 2017. He was trapped in a tank for 20 years and finally was able to taste freedom. He spent two decades inside a tank in a Long Island restaurant. His owner, Yamali, wouldn't let anybody eat the magnificent creature, so instead, he released him into the wild.
The town of Hempstead gathered for an official ceremony to return the lobster to the wild. Lobster expert Bob Bayer, the executive director at the Lobster Institute in Maine, believes that Louie will prosper in the wild. Louie may be half the size of the largest lobster ever caught, but he's much bigger than the average three to four-pound average lobster.
The Saltwater Crocodile That Eats Sharks
Male saltwater crocodiles are huge animals. They can range in weight from 1,000 to 2,000 pounds. Brutus the giant saltwater croc measures as 18-foot long. In 2014, he became famous for devouring a bull shark. Brutus was photographed in Kakadu’s Adelaide River. He first rose to popularity when he ate kangaroo meat on a "jumping crocodile" tour in 2011.
But, he really obtained his dignified status after winning a fight against a shark three years following. Harry Bowman from Adelaide River Cruises explained that it’s pretty gob-smacking for them, and that a lot of people who come on these cruises haven’t seen a crocodile before. To see them in the wild up so close, he thinks people are awed, that it’s like seeing a dinosaur.
This Crab’s Legs Are Insane
Here you have it, the world's largest crab. The Japanese Spider Crab lives around the waters of Japan. While it's clearly not a spider, it has spider-like legs, hence its name. Their legs are longer than any other arthropod, spanning 18 feet from claw to claw. These crabs can weigh up to 42 pounds. In Japanese, their names are “taka-ashi-gani,” which translates as “tall legs crab.”
Their bodies are armored to serve as protection against predators like octopi. They are master camouflagers and make use of ocean elements like shells and sponges to disguise themselves. Crabs, in general, can live for years, these guys can live for over a century! They are also considered a delicacy in Japan and other Asian countries.
This Earthworm Is As Big As A Snake
In December 2013, a photo of this giant earthworm landed on the Internet, and people were convinced that it was fake. However, the earthworm is as real as it gets. Mickey Grosman discovered the worm after a 5,000 mile-trek across South America. He spotted the giant insect and picked it up while in the Sumaco National Park.
But wasn’t able to identify the type of insect it was. While the type of earthworm hasn't been finalized, some theorize that it is a Glossoscolex Giganteaus, while others think that it might be a Caecilian, a legless amphibian. One this is for certain and that's that this insect is an absolute giant.
World’s largest Ants
The giant Amazonian ant, also known as Dinoponera, is among the largest ants in the world. Although there is much more conversation around the bullet ant due to their size and notorious sting, the size of a female giant Amazonian ant can reach up to 1.2- 1.6 inches in length.
Found only in South America, a colony of this particular ant tends to consist of fewer than 100 ants. Also, don’t be fooled; although they aren’t particularly known for their venom, the giant Amazonian ant is still extremely poisonous. Their sting is known to cause extreme pain for up to 48 hours after the initial sting.
Meet Simba
When it comes to some animals, it might be a little tricky to figure out what species they are exactly. Take this beast, for example. Is it a dog (likeliest answer)? Is it a bear? Or maybe it is a strange-looking lion because of its name. Simba's coat is quite something, and technically it's called a generous double-coat, as he's a Leonberger.
But you might confuse him as being a Leonbear! Hailing from Germany, the Leonberger was bred in the 1840s to resemble a lion. The massive-sized Leonberger breed is actually a magnificent blend of the Newfoundland, Saint Bernard, and Great Pyrenees.
The Biggest Earthworm Is Over Nine Feet Long
This next one is pretty gross! Not many people like to imagine slippery, slithering things creeping down under, but they exist. Nature has many surprises and some of them are worms. Australia’s Giant Gippsland earthworm is the biggest earthworm in the world. It can reach a length of 9.8 feet long live up to five years this giant invertebrate checks out at kindergarten).
Luckily, you won't run into this worm slithering under your front lawn. They live in wet, clay subsoils of river banks and don't often come to the surface (which contrasts greatly with their smaller relatives who pop up every now again to defecate).
The Giant African Snail
The giant African Snail or Ghana Tiger Snail is the largest among land gastropods. The largest snail ever recorded was 15.5 inches long and weighed 2 pounds. For reference, an average snail is less than 2 inches long.
The snail is also listed as one of the most invasive species in the world and the United States Department of Agriculture sees it as one of the biggest potential threats to agriculture and crops in the U.S. The average lifespan for one of these snails is between 5-7 years (although much longer in captivity) and their diet can consist of anything among 500 different species of plants!
Flemish Giant Rabbit Is as Big as the Family Dog
Meet the Flemish Giant Rabbit, a huge breed of domestic rabbit that is the biggest bread of rabbit in the world. These rabbits can weigh up to 22 pounds. The longest one ever recorded was 4 feet 3 inches. The rabbit's large size is clearly visible in this photo, as it is just as large as the dog it's sleeping next to.
While rabbits can make great pets, these are usually bred for their fur and meat. They are very obedient and patient animals. They were bred as far back as the 16th century in Belgium. We just hope that as time goes on, these rabbits will get treated better by us.
The Biggest Butterfly In The World Is A Lady
Most butterflies you have seen were probably very tiny, but the Atlas Moth butterfly is the largest butterfly in the world. Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist, first named the species in 1758. The Atlas Moth is named after the titan of Greek mythology, Atlas (due to their huge size and their map-like wing patterns).
Atlas Moths can be found in tropical climates, mostly in forests and shrublands. They are mainly spotted in Southeast Asia. And based on its name, you would assume that Atlas Moths could be found around the world. We guess its name can also be attributed to its huge size, akin to the mountains of North Africa.
5 Foot Bismarck Flying Fox Of New Guinea
Most people scorn bats. Many cultures commonly associate them with darkness, witchcraft, and vampires. They are often portrayed as such in films. The Bismarck Masked Flying Fox can be found in Papua New Guinea in forests, coconut groves, and in mixed fruit orchards. It gets its name from the Bismarck Archipelago. These enormous bats are the largest in the world. They get their title as flying foxes thanks to their fox-shaped faces. The span of their wings can measure 5.25 feet but they are usually a little under five feet.
Their ears are pointy and they don't have a tail. The male bats are able to lactate, making it only one of few species of mammals who are able to do so. They feast on fruit, nectar, and flowers. It lacks the ability to echo-locate, which it makes up for with its well-developed eyesight. They may live in colonies with as many as 200,000 other bats.
The Giant Oarfish Resembles A Sea Monster
The giant oarfish takes the title as the world’s longest bony fish. They can reach up to 110 feet in length. The biggest oarfish to ever be recorded weighed 600 pounds. They tend to make headlines when they wash up on shore because they are so huge. They have also been confused with "sea serpents" on several occasions.
These deep-sea fish have a silver color with dark markings. They have long, oar-shaped fins and swim in an undulating fashion. While we don't know much about these fish, we know they feast on krill, other small crustaceans, fish, and squid. Adult oarfish tend to live on their own.
Ludo, The World’s Biggest House Cat, Is Seriously Huge
Maine Coons have the reputation of being one of the largest cat species ever. They are also one of the oldest American breeds. Rumor has it that Maine Coons were created when a brown tabby mated with an actual, wild raccoon. While that's impossible, their size is undeniable. Ludo takes the cake as the biggest of the bunch, measuring in at nearly four feet long.
Although his British friend Stewie (mentioned elsewhere on our list) might have been larger, Ludo currently holds the record after Stewie passed away. This big cat would give some dogs a major run for their money.
Cinereous Vulture Has An 8-10 Foot Wingspan
The Cinereous Vulture, or Black Vulture, can weigh up to 31 pounds and have a wingspan of 8-10 feet. They are the largest bird of prey in the world. They reside in Europe and Asia. Females are slightly larger than males. They are also one of the heaviest flying birds. They often live alone, but do sometimes live in pairs.
They get together, however, when they're feeding off of carcasses. Groups with as many as 20 birds may convene to feed off of carcasses. They eat mostly carrion. These vultures are listed as "near threatened" thanks to habitat destruction and the poisoned bait they consume which is used to kill dogs and other such animals.
The African Elephant Is The Largest Terrestrial Animal
Did you think we'd give you a list of giant animals without including the African elephant? The African elephant weighs around six tons. This is basically the weight of three cars. They measure at 7.5 meters in length and 3.3 meters high at the shoulders. They use their giant ears to radiate extra heat. This is vital for their survival as they spend long days grazing in the scorching hot African sun.
Their most feature is their long white tusks which also cause them to be under severe threat thanks to poaching and habitat loss. Besides their impressively large frames, African elephants are highly intelligent animals. They exhibit a wide variety of behaviors, like grief, learning, mimicry, play, a sense of humor, compassion, memory, and self-awareness. Their brains are similar to humans in terms of structure and complexity.
More About Supersized Spiders
If measuring by leg span, then the Giant Huntsman spider is the world's largest. While it is not as bulky as the Goliath spider, its legs can measure up to one foot in length. The giant Huntsman spider is indigenous to Laos and is thought to be a cave dweller.
Huntsman spiders do not build webs like other spiders, instead, they choose to hunt. While they are venomous, they are not thought to be a big threat to humans. People have even taken huntsman spiders in as pets, believe it or not. They mostly only eat other insects, and sometimes geckos.
Gary the Capybara
Gary The Capybara can't fit on your desk in a little cage. He's much too large for that. Quite similar in size to a midsize dog, he's the world’s largest pet rodent. He lives with owners Melanie Typaldos and Richard Loveman. The pair met Gary while on a trip to Venezuela and fell in love with him, eventually bringing him back to their home in Texas.
Gary loves spending his days swimming in his owners’ swimming pool of which they share about him that he's a fast learner. According to Ms. Typaldos, Gary knows how to turn in circles, stand up, jump, and shake hands when told to do so. Gary loves sleeping right next to his owners in the family bed.
The Red Kangaroo Is Basically A Body Builder
You wouldn’t want to mess with a red kangaroo even if you've been having major gains at the gym. These kangaroos are more muscular than even the daily gym rats. Despite looking bigger than the Hulk, these animals are also very aggressive. Male red kangaroos can reach a height of up to 5.9 feet tall. The largest kangaroo ever documented measured in at seven feet and 201 lbs. In 2015, Roger the Kangaroo went viral on the internet. This giant red kangaroo weighed almost 200 lbs and could crush metal with his bare hands.
At 10 years old, Roger will most likely outgrow and outweigh the heaviest red kangaroo on record. For now, at 200 lbs, he's not doing so shabbily and we definitely wouldn't want to get on his bad side. Red kangaroos are found across western and central Australia. They usually live in groups of 2-4 members but may congregate at times in numbers as much as 1,500 individuals.
Largest Amphibian Species
The Chinese giant salamander is the largest amphibian in the world. It is native to the mountain streams and lakes of China. An adult salamander on average can weigh anywhere from 55 to 66 pounds and measure about 3.77 feet across. The heaviest salamander to ever be recorded weighed a whopping 110 pounds and measured 5.9 feet across. Salamanders have a diverse taste and like to feast on insects, worms, other amphibians, shrimps, crabs, fish, and water shrew.
Currently, these amphibians are regarded as critically endangered and their species is in continual decline thanks to human interactions. If you ever find yourself in the mountain streams or lakes of China and you hear what sounds like a crying child, this could actually be a Chinese giant salamander as their vocalization is said to resemble that sound.
The Maine Coon Cat
The state cat of Maine is also one of the largest and oldest domestic breeds in North America. The Maine Coon is the largest domesticated cat breed in the world with valuable hunting skills. Male Maine Coons can reach a height of anywhere between 10 and 16 inches and on average weigh 13 to 18 pounds, with females measuring just slightly smaller.
The record for the longest domestic cat in the Guinness Book of World Records belongs to a Maine Coon named Stewie. Stewie is exceptionally long, measuring 48.5 inches from nose to tail. Despite having such an imposing profile, Maine Coons are known for being gentle, intelligent, and quite playful creatures, hence their nickname, "the gentle giant." They also have above-average intelligence.
Giants Of The Amazon
The Green Anaconda is the biggest snake in the world. It is also the biggest reptile. They can weigh up to 550 pounds and reach a size of up to 30 feet in length. While lengthwise, it isn't the biggest, its weight makes up for that and thus is regarded as the biggest snake.
They can be found in remote regions in central parts of South America and usually live in places close to the water in the Amazon rainforest. Unlike humans and many other animals, they continue to grow throughout their entire lives. They are predominantly nocturnal creatures and consume capybaras, deer, tapirs, caimans, and sometimes even jaguars.
The Largest Animal That Ever Lived
You can't have a list of huge creatures without mentioning the largest animal in the world and the biggest creature to ever have existed. The Blue whale is an absolute beast. Long and slender, it can reach a length of up to 98 feet and weigh up to 190 tons. Before whaling, the largest population was in the Antarctic where they numbered an average of 239,000.
Now, there remain somewhere between 10,000 to 25,000 of these majestic creatures in the world. They feast mostly on krill and can eat up to 40 million krill in a day. Their heart alone weighs around 400 pounds, the largest of any known animal.
Largest Land Carnivore
The Kodiak bear lives on the Kodiak Islands in Southwest Alaska. They share similar measurements with the Polar bear and together they hold the title of the largest land carnivore. Unlike the Polar bear who eats almost exclusively meat, the Kodiak bear has a diverse diet that fluctuates with the seasons and availability of resources.
During the spring they consume fresh vegetation along with the carcasses of animals that died during the winter. During the summer, they continue eating vegetation and berries and start fishing for salmon. Some other foods that they may eat year-round are seaweed, deer, and unfortunately, garbage left behind by humans. The majority of adult bears die from natural causes, but, more than 90% of adult male Kodiak bears are shot by hunters.
From Runt To 245 Pounds
Giant George received the title as the world's tallest living dog by Guinness World Records as well as the tallest dog to ever exist. The Great Dane measured in at 3 feet, 7 inches from his paw to his shoulder and nearly seven feet long. His weight was recorded at 245 pounds — about 100 pounds larger than the average Great Dane.
His owners, Dave and Christie Nasser, shared that he was the runt of the litter. He loved riding around his family's neighborhood in a golf cart. He appeared on the Oprah Show in 2010. While traveling there, he was given a row of three airline seats to himself. He died in 2013, just before his eighth birthday.
Cracker the Giant Shire Horse
Meet the gigantic horse named Cracker the Giant Shire Horse. He's not your average horse. He weighs a whopping 1.25 tons and spans 19.2 hands. He resides in a quaint little rural home in Spilsby, Lincolnshire, England. Apparently, Apparently, this pure-bred shire horse has multiple strings to his bow.
Cracker also works as a tour bus from time to time. By this, we mean that he will drag many carts worth of 20 people around the area. He'll take them on a pretty comprehensive, 3-mile-long trip. Tourists can expect to be at least 10 feet off the ground while sitting on top of Cracker.
Owner Claims That 3,500 Pound Bull Is “All Muscle”
Meet Tall Colonel, a mega bullock from England. At its peak, the 6'5 beast weighed in at a whopping 3,500 pounds. This was particularly noteworthy, as the previous year, they weighed a few hundred pounds less. His previous owner, Arthur Duckett, shared with the media: that they're in very good health and there’s no reason why they won’t keep on growing. He added that they're not fat – they're all muscle.
The cow who was the biggest in the world was originally Old Ben, who passed away in 1910 - but The Colonel ended up beating that record eventually. Arthur has since passed away and Farmer Gary Bowden now looks after the cattle.