Top 10 Largest Animals in the World (One per Species)

This is not only the largest animal alive today, it is probably the heaviest animal that has ever lived on Earth (yes, heavier than the dinosaurs). Its tongue alone weighs as much as an entire elephant.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, this giant strangely enough eats almost nothing but krill: tiny little shrimp. It wolfs down around 3,600 kilos of them per day.

The undisputed king of the land. There are two species of elephant in Africa, but the savanna elephant is the larger one. They are extremely intelligent and social. Sadly, their size and tusks still make them a target, although a lot of work is being done to protect them.

Don't be fooled by the name: this is a shark, not a whale. That makes it the largest fish in the world. Luckily for us, they are gentle giants that don't use their teeth to hunt. They calmly swim around with their enormous mouths open to filter plankton. Divers regularly swim alongside them safely.

You definitely don't want to go swimming with this one. It is the largest living reptile on Earth and can grow up to 7 meters long. Researchers at National Geographic often stress how opportunistic these hunters are; they eat pretty much anything that comes near the water, from buffalo to sharks.

In weight they lose out to the elephant, but in height the giraffe wins easily (up to 5.5 meters). Their neck is a masterpiece of evolution. Oddly enough, just like humans, they have only seven neck vertebrae. Those vertebrae are just gigantic. A newborn giraffe is often already taller than an adult man.

The polar bear is the largest predator living on land. When a polar bear stands on its hind legs, it towers up to 3 meters above you. They are perfectly adapted to the cold. Experts at Polar Bears International explain that their huge paws work like snowshoes, so they don't sink into the ice.

We usually picture birds as light, fluttering little creatures. The ostrich is the exact opposite. It can't fly, but it can run incredibly fast (up to 70 km/h). At a height of 2.8 meters, it looks over most fences. Their eggs are record holders too: one ostrich egg equals about 24 chicken eggs.

Possibly the strangest animal on the list. This is the largest amphibian in the world and it looks like it came straight out of prehistoric times. They can grow almost 2 meters long and live in rivers in China. Sadly, they are critically endangered because they are considered a delicacy.

If we look at length, the reticulated python is the winner. But in terms of pure bulk and weight, the Green Anaconda is the boss. This South American constrictor is a solid block of muscle that can weigh up to 250 kilos. They live mainly in the water, because on land they are too heavy to move quickly.

Forget the giant squid, the colossal squid is even a step heavier. This mysterious animal lives in the deep waters around Antarctica. They have the largest eyes in the entire animal kingdom – as big as a football! According to the Museum of New Zealand, which owns a rare specimen, these animals have rotating hooks on their tentacles to grab prey.