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.
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.
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.
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.
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.