The ten Largest Animals in the World

  Horse   COMMON NAME: Horse   SCIENTIFIC NAME: Equus ferus caballus   TYPE: Mammals   DIET: Herbivore   SIZE: Height at the shoulders: 30 to 69 inches   WEIGHT: 120 to 2,200 pounds       Horses and humans have an ancient relationship. Asian nomads probably domesticated the first horses some 4,000 years ago, and the animals remained essential to many human societies until the advent of the engine. Horses still hold a place of honor in many cultures, often linked to heroic exploits in war.   Wild and Domesticated There is only one species of domestic horse, but around 400 different breeds that specialize in everything from pulling wagons to racing. All horses are grazers. While most horses are domestic, others remain wild. Feral horses are the descendents of once-tame animals that have run free for generations. Groups of such horses can be found in many places around the world. Free-roaming Nor...

  Gorillas Gorillas are gentle giants and display many human-like behaviors and emotions, such as laughter and sadness. In fact, gorillas share 98.3% of their genetic code with humans, making them our closest cousins after chimpanzees and bonobos. The largest of the great apes, gorillas are stocky animals with broad chests and shoulders, large, human-like hands, and small eyes set into hairless faces. The two gorilla species live in equatorial Africa, separated by about 560 miles of Congo Basin forest. Each has a lowland and upland subspecies.       Gorillas live in family groups of usually five to 10, but sometimes two to more than 50, led by a dominant adult male—or silverback—who holds his position for years. The bond between the silverback and his females forms the basis of gorilla social life. Females become sexually mature around seven or eight years old but don’t begin to breed until a couple of years later. Males mature at an even greater age. Onc...

  Rhino   Rhinos once roamed many places throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa and were known to early Europeans who depicted them in cave paintings. At the beginning of the 20th century, 500,000 rhinos roamed Africa and Asia. By 1970, rhino numbers dropped to 70,000, and today, around 27,000 rhinos remain in the wild. Very few rhinos survive outside national parks and reserves due to persistent poaching and habitat loss over many decades. Three species of rhino—black, Javan, and Sumatran—are critically endangered. Today, a small population of Javan rhinos is found in only one national park on the northern tip of the Indonesian island of Java. A mainland subspecies of the Javan rhino was declared extinct in Vietnam in 2011.     Successful conservation efforts have led to an increase in the number of greater one-horned (or Indian) rhinos, from around 200 at the turn of the 20th century to around 3,700 today. The greater one-horned rhino is one of Asia’s bi...

  Polar Bear   COMMON NAME: Polar Bear   SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ursus maritimus   TYPE: Mammals   DIET: Carnivore   AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 25 to 30 years   SIZE: Head and body: 7.25 to 8 feet; tail: 3 to 5 inches   WEIGHT: 900 to 1,600 pounds     Polar bears roam the Arctic ice sheets and swim in that region's coastal waters. They are very strong swimmers, and their large front paws, which they use to paddle, are slightly webbed. Some polar bears have been seen swimming hundreds of miles from land—though they probably cover most of that distance by floating on sheets of ice. Arctic Adaptations: Polar bears live in one of the planet's coldest environments and depend on a thick coat of insulated fur, which covers a warming layer of fat. Fur even grows on the bottom of their paws, which protects against cold surfaces and provides a good grip on ice. The bear's stark white coat provides camouflage in...

  ostrich COMMON NAME:  Ostrich SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Struthio camelus TYPE:  Birds DIET:  Omnivore GROUP NAME:  Herd AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD:  30 to 40 years SIZE:  7 to 9 feet WEIGHT:  220 to 350 pounds Speed and Movement Though they cannot fly, ostriches are fleet, strong runners. They can sprint up to 43 miles an hour and run over distance at 31 miles an hour. They may use their wings as "rudders" to help them change direction while running. An ostrich's powerful, long legs can cover 10 to 16 feet in a single stride. These legs can also be formidable weapons. Ostrich kicks can kill a human or a potential predator like a lion. Each two-toed foot has a long, sharp claw.   Herds and Reproduction Ostriches live in small herds that typically contain less than a dozen birds. Alpha males maintain these herds, and mate with the group's dominant hen. The male sometimes mates with others in the group, and wandering ma...

  Orca Whale The killer whale is the largest species in the Delphinidae family — yes, it is a dolphin, not a whale; It lives in all the oceans of the earth and can measure up to 9 meters and weigh more than 5 tons. It is a predatory animal and can live up to 60 years . Known by the name of killer whales, orcas (Orcinus orca) have been feared throughout history and have attracted much interest among humans. Their nickname comes from the Spanish whalers who watched them attack and kill large cetaceans. Intelligent and large predators, orcas are toothed cetaceans, that is, they belong to the Odontoceti suborder, unlike other species such as the blue whale that are part of the Mysticeti or baleen whales. Its peculiar black and white color is, without a doubt, one of its most striking aspects. Also one of the most interesting, since the design of its shapes is unique in each individual, with a white belly and two spots of the same color just behind the eyes. Likewise, another of its mos...

  Camel Body temperature Camels do not pant,   and they perspire very little. Humans start to sweat when the outside temperature rises above the normal body temperature of 37º C, but the camel has a unique body thermostat. lt. can raise its body temperature tolerance level as   much as 6º C before perspiring, thereby conserving body fluids and avoiding   unnecessary water loss. No other mammal can do this. Because the camel’s body temperature is often lower than air temperature, a group of resting camels will even avoid excessive heat by pressing against each other .   Colour Camels come in every shade of brown, from cream to almost   black.   Ears A camel’s ears are small, but its hearing is acute – even if, like the donkey or basset hound, it chooses to pay no attention when given a command!   A camel’s ears are lined with fur to filter out sand and dust blowing into the   ear canal.       Eyes ...