The heaviest animals

Heavy, heavier, heaviest ...

Some species are commonly known as true heavyweights and stand out for their considerable body mass. In order to be able to define the heaviest animal in the world, however, different classes must be considered, because not only among the mammals, some species with a conspicuously high body weight, but also among the reptiles. Even in the insect and bird class, some species are surprising in terms of their weight.

That the elephant is one of the heaviest animals, hardly anyone will be new. He is considered the highest-weight land mammal and weighs up to six tons, depending on the species. The hippopotamus, which stands out due to its squat physique, is also among the heavyweights and can weigh up to four and a half tons, closely followed by the rhino. However, the elephant and other heavy land mammals can barely reach the whales. The blue whale is considered to be the heaviest creature that ever inhabited the earth. Alone his tongue weighs more than an elephant, and the calves are born with a weight equal to two tons on average already equal to that of two cars. Adult blue-whales weigh up to two hundred tons, depending on gender, with a total body length of up to 33 meters, and weigh almost as many as 25 elephants. Their respiratory fountains, called blasons, can shoot nine meters high. Despite its unbelievable body size and weight, the blue whale feeds mainly on plankton, tiny organisms that it filters out of the seawater with its whitefish. Compared to the blue whale, although significantly lighter, but equally impressive are also some types of right whales, which can still bring up to a hundred tons on the scales.

In terms of body weight, other animals are considered to be the heaviest of their kind. These include, for example, the leatherback turtle, which reaches a body weight of well over nine hundred kilograms with a tank length of over two and a half meters. With these dimensions, it is considered the colossus among the turtles and exceeds the body weight of the much better known Galapagos giant tortoise by a multiple. Nevertheless, the last crocodile with a weight of up to two tons is considered the heaviest reptile in the world. Among the seals, the sea elephant is the leader in terms of weight. Male specimens with a body length of up to six and a half meters bring a weight of three and a half tons on the scales. The cows are only about half the size and a maximum of nine hundred kilograms. Despite the impressive size, elephant seals occasionally fall victim to orcas or white sharks.

Among the snakes, the large anaconda, which is native to the tropical zones of South America, is the absolute leader. With a total length of up to nine meters, however, their maximum weight of two hundred kilograms is not surprising. With this body volume, the large anaconda on land usually moves very sluggishly forward, but can swim quite fast in the water. Nevertheless, she waits for rivers and lakes mostly motionless, until their victims are within reach. These huge snakes usually capture capybaras and birds, but have also been observed feeding on stags and caimans.

Incidentally, the capybara or Capybara reaches a maximum weight of up to 45 kilograms, making it the heaviest rodent on Earth. The role as the heaviest insect in the world can be claimed by the approximately ten-centimeter-long, Africa-based Goliath beetle. It weighs 110 grams for insects and impresses with its memorable black and white patterned shell, which is about the size of a human's palm. Among the birds, the ostrich with its 150 kilograms is considered the heaviest representative, but for larger surprises ensures the giant Bustard, which despite its considerable 22 kilograms body weight is able to stand out easily and above all elegant in the air.