If you think that giant animals went extinct with the dinosaurs, think again! You are about to be introduced to snakes weighing nearly half a ton and birds standing up to 2.5 meters tall… The world of giant animals still exists somewhere around us.
The World of Giant Animals
Goliath Frog
The Goliath Frog – the largest member of the frog family – can grow up to 33 cm long from mouth to tail and weigh up to 3 kg, with a lifespan of about 15 years. Their diet consists of scorpions, insects, and even smaller frogs. They are also the oldest frogs on Earth, having existed for over 250 million years. This species primarily resides in West Africa. Today, their numbers are decreasing due to uncontrolled hunting by humans.
African Elephant
In terms of size, the African elephant is the giant king of land animals, standing over 7m tall and weighing around 6 tons. However, their massive size does not protect them from poaching for their ivory; they also face significant survival challenges as their habitats continue to shrink. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), their population in some areas has dwindled to less than 1,000 and is continuing to decline. Without intervention, African elephants may face the grim prospect of total extinction within the next 15 years.
Blue Whale
The blue whale is the largest animal currently living on Earth. Their average length is 25 m (males) and 26.2 m (females). The longest blue whale ever recorded was discovered in 1909 in the South Atlantic, measuring 33.58 m. Even newborn blue whales are gigantic, measuring 6-8 m in length and weighing 2-3 tons.
They consume about 200 liters of milk and gain up to 9 kg each day. Despite their size, blue whales mostly eat krill – small crustaceans. Each whale consumes approximately 5.5 tons of krill daily. Since each krill weighs about 1 gram, a whale has to swallow 5.5 million krill each day.
Reticulated Python
The Southeast Asian reticulated python is considered the longest snake in the reptile world. The largest reticulated python known today measures approximately 15m long, with a body circumference of 85cm and a weight of 447kg. This giant python was captured by locals on the island of Java (Indonesia) in 2007, breaking all records for pythons recognized by Guinness. It sheds its reticulated skin every 35 days, with each shedding lasting between 7-10 days. This colossal reptile can swallow whole animals like sheep, pigs, and even humans.
African Ostrich
The African ostrich is a flightless bird. It has long, strong legs and can run at speeds of up to 65 km/h. The ostrich is regarded as the largest bird on the planet today. When fully grown (2-4 years old), they weigh between 90 to 130 kg, standing at heights of 1.8–2.7 m (for males) and 1.7–2 m (for females).
They primarily consume seeds and grasses, and occasionally eat small animals like crickets. Lacking teeth, they must swallow stones to aid in grinding food in their gizzards. Historically, ostriches were hunted or raised for their feathers, which were a popular adornment in women’s fashion. Their skins were also highly valued. In the 18th century, they were hunted to near extinction. Ostriches are classified as dangerous animals in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom due to their history of attacks that have resulted in fatalities.
Polar Bear
The polar bear lives near the poles around the Arctic Ocean. They are the largest land carnivores. An adult male polar bear weighs between 400 to 600 kg and can sometimes exceed 800 kg. Females are about half the size of males, typically weighing 200–300 kg.
Adult males measure about 2.4 – 2.6 m in length; females range from 1.9 to 2.1 m. The largest polar bear ever recorded weighed 1002 kg and stood 3.39 m tall. Their primary diet consists of seals; without this prey, polar bears would struggle to survive. However, in summer, when seals are scarce, they become omnivorous and will eat anything they can find.
Chinese Giant Salamander
The Chinese giant salamander is the largest member of the salamander family. An adult can reach lengths of up to 1.8 m. Their diet consists of various insects, frogs, and fish. They have poor eyesight but are extremely sensitive to even the slightest movements thanks to sensory bumps running along their bodies from head to tail.
On average, a giant salamander weighs about 25-30 kg and is approximately 1.2 m long. They inhabit rugged streams or lake regions in China. In traditional Chinese medicine, this species is considered a precious medicinal resource; thus, they are facing extinction risks due to rampant hunting. Additionally, environmental pollution and habitat loss are making their existence increasingly difficult.
Saltwater Crocodile
This is the largest amphibian on the planet. Their habitat includes northern Australia and Southeast Asia. Some individual crocodiles can reach lengths of 5 to 6 meters and weigh around 1,200 kg. However, at birth, crocodiles are only about 20 cm long. In Vietnam, there are species of estuarine crocodiles that can weigh up to 2800 kg, with body lengths exceeding 8 m.
Currently, they are listed in the Vietnam Red Book, and the remaining population is very small, with only about 1 to 3 individuals left. On February 15, 2008, a honey collector in U Minh Thượng caught one and submitted it to the forest rangers. According to preliminary research and assessment by Vietnamese scientists, this crocodile is estimated to be around 189 years old.
Gorillas in the Lowland Regions of the East
The largest primates on Earth, a male Gorilla can weigh up to 250 kg and stand 2 m tall when upright. However, there is a recorded record of a male Gorilla named Phil who lived at the St. Louis Zoo from 1941 to 1958, weighing as much as 388 kg.
