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.
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.
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 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 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.