Although humans like to think that we are at the top of the food chain, it’s important for us to remember that we are not alone on this planet. We share with our pets, farm animals, and those that are roaming free in the wild, and they should be given their time to shine. Of course, it’s probably a good thing that many of these animals go unnoticed.
But these giant creatures take the magic of the animal kingdom to a whole new level—in ways we couldn't possibly have imagined.
The Fruit Bat
The megabat is a group which features the world’s largest bats; however, not all species are always large: the smallest species measures a mere 6 cm. However, the largest species, Fruit bats (or Flying foxes as they are sometimes called) have a wingspan up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)!
They’re so big and intriguing that some biologists believe they descended from primates rather than bats and that mammalian flight ability has evolved more than once – however, most scientists disagree with this theory.
Giant Freshwater Stingray
Not all Stingrays live in the ocean – in fact, the biggest ones don’t. The Giant Freshwater Stingray usually weighs 500–600 kg (1,100–1,300 lbs). However, just like with the salamander, their numbers are dwindling. This species is threatened by overfishing and habitat loss; the World Conservation Union has assessed the giant freshwater stingray as endangered in some areas, and critically endangered in other parts.
Giant Weta Cricket
In case you’re still having doubts, that cricket is eating a carrot – no shenanigans. The 11 species of giant weta (Deinacrida spp.) are significantly larger than their relatives, which are themselves larger than most insects. They are found primarily on small islands off the coast of the main islands in New Zealand, and they represent a nice case of island gigantism. They sometimes measure over 10 cm.
The Nomura Jellyfish
The diameter when fully grown is slightly greater than the height of an average man. They can weigh more than 200 kg, and are endemic to Japanese waters. Nomura jellyfish are amazing creatures, but scientists are worried about the bloom in theior population. They are so heavy that in 2009, a 10-tonne fishing trawler, the Diasan Shinsho-maru, capsized as its crew tried to haul in a net with dozens of them.
The Japanese Spider Crab
Crabs are quite awesome animals, but there’s probably something in the waters in Japan… I don’t know. Weighing up to 19 kg, the giant Japanese spider crab has long been a Japanese fishing staple, and can inflict serious injury with its powerful claws. They have the greatest legspan of any arthropod, reaching 3.8 metres from claw to claw. Despite of its threatening appearance, the Japanese Spider Crab usually has a very gentle disposition .
Holy Cow
Goodness me! This cow is so enormous that it looks like it has been photoshopped into this field alongside some tiny people holograms.
But in fact, the majestic animal is very real indeed—hailing from Ramona, California, he is called Cowboy, and weighs a whopping 3,000 pounds. 300 pounds of that is just his head! OMG!
Why we’d love to have this gentle giant in our own home, he’s a pretty hard one to look after—eating over 700 pounds of food per day.
A gentle giant
Although he may no longer be around, George the Great Dane still holds the record as the tallest dog to ever grace our earth.
What a whopper! This breed of dog is known for being exceptionally large, but there was something about George that made him stand above the rest.
Quite literally. At his tallest, George stood at 3’7” and was almost 7-foot long. As if that wasn’t enough, George also topped the scales at 245 pounds, which is around 100 pounds heavier than the average weight for his breed. Despite his giant size, George’s owners noted that he was a gentle giant, and just loved cuddles from his family.
Such a big heart
If you’ve ever been told that you have a “big heart,” you might want to go back and tell them that it’s nothing compared to that of the blue whale.
In fact, the blue whale takes the record as the largest animal to ever exist on this planet. Pretty neat, huh?
The heart alone weighs a whopping 400 pounds so you can imagine that their entire 98-foot body weighs a huge chunk more than that. Back in the day, there were over 200,000 blue whales in our oceans. However, as whale hunting has become even more common, these numbers have dwindled drastically.
A slippery sea monster
There are many people in this world who are afraid of the ocean, and that’s not surprising, considering there are giant oarfishes swimming about the place.
This slippery sea monster is known for being the largest bony fish in our oceans, and there’s no doubt about the fact that it’s pretty long.
Although they can reach up to 110-feet in terms of their length, it’s their weight that really shocks those who see them washed up on the shore. Yep, the heaviest oarfish to ever make an appearance long enough to be weighed came in at a whopping 600 pounds. That means there could be even heavier and even longer ones out there
A beautiful butterfly
Butterflies are often regarded as some of the most beautiful animals in the world, but we bet you didn’t know that they can often grow to enormous sizes.
In the early 1900s, a naturalist (not to be confused with naturist) discovered a brand new species of butterfly in Papua New Guinea, and it’s safe to say that one of them was pretty large.
He named this specific birdwing butterfly the Queen Alexandra because she was extremely impressive. In fact, she had a wingspan of 11 inches and took the record as the largest butterfly to ever be found in the wild.
Such a big croc
If you’ve ever seen a saltwater crocodile in the flesh, you’ll know that they aren’t exactly the smallest animals known to man. They grow strong and long, but Brutus has always been ahead of them all.
This particular croc resides around the area surrounding Kakadu’s Adelaide River and was once known for jumping up alongside tourist boats and putting on a show for onlookers.
However, the 18-foot long crocodile became known for something else in 2014. It was during this year that brutal Brutus was found eating a bull shark after he overpowered it in a fight. Now that’s impressive.
A few health concerns
Many humans suffer from problems related to their thyroid, and this can affect the amount of weight they gain or lose. Yet, did you know those thyroid problems can also affect animals?
Bandit was a raccoon who struggled with a few health concerns over the course of his life, and he was later graced with a world record for his hefty size.
He topped the scales at a whopping 75 pounds, and his thyroid issues meant that he put on more weight than the average raccoon. Unfortunately, his weight proved too much for his heart, and poor Bandit passed away in 2004.
Not-so-sad anymore
Eeyore is known for being a bit down in the dumps, but we don’t think Sam has that same problem.
This donkey was gifted with his very own Guinness World Record in 2012 for being the tallest donkey in the world, and he seemed as pleased as punch.
He was just four years old at the time, but he had already reached the tender height of 15.3 hands. Donkeys rarely stand any taller than 14 hands, which is why Sam was such an enigma. You’ll be happy to know that he still is an enigma, and is currently living his best life on a farm in Oklahoma.
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