From deep-sea monsters to massive mammals, nature never ceases to amaze us with its supersized creatures! Join us as we explore the most impressively large animals that dwarf their relatives. From terrifying arthropods to gentle giants, these creatures prove that sometimes bigger really is better!
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00:00This is Grace. She's a continental giant and Grace is nine months old.
00:05Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're counting down our picks for the animals
00:10who are shockingly large compared to their closest relatives.
00:13The Chinese giant salamander truly is a living fossil, belonging to the family
00:17Cryptobranchidae, which has been around over a hundred and seventy million years.
00:23Number 20. Belgian Draft Horse.
00:25A small country in northwestern Europe is home to a large horse
00:30that has become a beloved breed around the world.
00:33Okay, so most horses aren't small, but draft horses are huge.
00:36The biggest breed of horse is the Belgian Draft Horse,
00:39often growing to more than 16 hands and up to 3,000 pounds.
00:43Even the newborns are large, often weighing around 125 pounds.
00:48That's a lot of horse right there.
00:49They were initially from Europe, but since the 1940s they've been primarily bred in the US.
00:55Today, the Belgian Draft Horse is the most popular draft horse in the US.
00:58There are more of these horses in the country than all other heavy breeds put together.
01:02The tallest horse in recorded history was Big Jake, who measured over 20 hands.
01:07And the heaviest was Brooklyn Supreme, who weighed 3,200 pounds.
01:12Both were, of course, Belgian Draft Horses.
01:14Most people think of them as work horses, as farm horses.
01:19They are also just brilliant horses to ride.
01:25Number 19. African Giant Earthworm.
01:27Whenever we get lots of rain,
01:30we get things that we don't normally see pop out.
01:33There are about 7,000 species of earthworm on the planet.
01:36The largest earthworm species is found in South Africa.
01:39African giant earthworms average 4.5 feet long, but they can stretch up to 22 feet.
01:45Weighing 3.3 pounds, these slimy creatures are a lot bigger than the earthworms you've
01:51probably seen on the sidewalk after it rains.
01:53On the subject of massive worms, the bootlace worm is one of the longest animals, measuring up to 180 feet.
02:00Thankfully, they usually only grow 5 to 10 millimeters thick.
02:05Number 18. Northern Giant Hummingbird.
02:08Hummingbirds are the smallest known living birds.
02:11The tiniest species of these, called the bee hummingbird,
02:14weighs less than a tenth of an ounce when fully grown.
02:17Their tiny size makes them tasty prey for snakes, birds, even spiders.
02:24Even the largest hummingbird, the northern giant, is pretty small.
02:28Still weighing less than one ounce, the wingspan is usually around 8.5 inches,
02:32and the length is a bit over 9 inches.
02:34Large wings even enable it to glide, and that's a behavior not seen in other hummingbirds.
02:40To put that in perspective, the northern giant hummingbird can grow to be almost
02:44five times larger than the bee hummingbird. The northern giant grows to about the length
02:49of a common cardinal, but it weighs significantly less.
02:52Number 17. Megaloblata Longipennis.
02:56Basically, that's fancy Latin for enormous roach.
03:01Most people are grossed out by even little cockroaches. American cockroaches, for example,
03:06rarely grow longer than two inches, and they're seen as invasive pests worldwide.
03:11No one wants to find a cockroach of any size anywhere in their house,
03:14but if you are in South America, watch out for the four-inch long Megaloblata Longipennis.
03:20This cockroach, which is the world's biggest, has a wingspan of eight inches. If that's not long
03:25enough for you, the largest documented specimen had an 8.6-inch wingspan. It's safe to say these
03:31huge insects can creep out even the bravest bug-lover.
03:35Number 16. Saint Helena Giant Earwig.
03:38We're all thankful that common earwigs don't actually enter human ears and lay eggs in the body.
03:44There was a species of earwig, however, that was too large to fit in a human's ear.
03:48The Saint Helena Giant Earwig could grow to over three inches, which is roughly six times the
03:53size of a common earwig. These massive insects lived from the Eocene Epoch, between 56 and 34
04:00million years ago, until the 1960s. They were first discovered in 1798 and last seen alive in 1967,
04:08though they were only declared extinct in 2014.
04:11Number 15. Gambian Pouched Rat. These gigantic rodents are named for the pouches in their cheeks
04:18that enable them to carry food like a hamster. They're originally from sub-Saharan Africa,
04:29but after being kept as pets and then released in the wild, they're now an invasive species in Florida.
04:35Gambian Pouched Rats can grow to three feet long and weigh over three pounds. The largest ones reach
04:41nine pounds. They can also hold several kilograms of nuts in their pouches.
04:45Fairly recently, they've started using this species to detect tuberculosis in humans.
04:53That's astonishing.
04:55It's incredible, isn't it? It's such a powerful nose.
04:58Number 14. Giant Freshwater Stingray.
05:01Witness the elusive massive giant stingray.
05:05Most stingrays grow to about three feet wide, but there is a species that can grow to over seven
05:10feet wide. The giant freshwater stingray is primarily found in rivers in South and Southeast Asia.
05:16These grayish brown animals are usually over six feet in width and over 16 feet in length.
05:21It takes six people to heave this huge animal onto its front, into a position where we can measure it.
05:28In 2022, a giant freshwater stingray weighing 661 pounds was found in Cambodia.
05:35It measured more than seven feet wide, and it is the largest freshwater fish ever documented.
05:40These Asian giant freshwater stingrays shouldn't be confused with the South American giant freshwater
05:45stingray, also called the short-tailed river stingray.
05:49Number 13. Solomon Island Skink.
05:52Most skinks only measure about four and a half inches long. The Solomon Island Skink, however,
05:57can reach 32 inches long. Half that length is just the tail.
06:01You can see this long, slender body they have here,
06:05and that's to help them navigate through the treetops.
06:07Even the babies are huge, especially in comparison to the mothers.
06:11Solomon Island Skinks give live birth, and newborns often measure 11 to 12 inches.
06:16Dr. Kevin Wright of the Philadelphia Zoo compared those sizes to a human giving birth to a six-year-old child.
06:23Outside of captivity, these huge lizards are found only in the Solomon Islands archipelago in the
06:28southwest Pacific Ocean. The species is at risk of becoming endangered due to habitat destruction,
06:34being captured for the pet trade, and the fact that they only have one baby at a time.
06:38They're very powerful animals, and as you can see, I'm wearing this heavy glove as well.
06:42So, skinks are very, very, very strong, powerful animals, so they really need to be handled with
06:47respecting care.
06:4812. Giant Huntsman Spider.
06:50With a leg span of over 10 inches, they're the size of dinner plates.
06:55These humongous arachnids are the largest spider by leg span, which can be up to one foot.
07:01By comparison, their bodies are comically small, measuring only about two inches long.
07:06Before the discovery of the giant huntsman spider in caves in Laos, the golden huntsman spider of
07:11Australia held the record for body length at 1.6 inches. There are cases of giant huntsman spiders
07:17biting humans, but lucky for us, their venom is not fatal. But if you're a cockroach, silverfish,
07:23or cricket, they will run and ambush you, quickly making a meal for themselves.
07:3511. Amazonian Giant Centipede.
07:38One venomous predator stalks the American tropics. Out of 3,000 species of centipedes, it's the
07:46leviathan.
07:47The world's largest species of centipede often measures longer than a foot.
07:51The Amazonian giant centipede can be found living under leaf litter and rocks in northern
07:56regions of South America. They have up to 27 segments, and they are carnivorous. They're known
08:01to eat frogs, snakes, birds, and bats. But they've also been responsible for at least one human death.
08:15A child in Venezuela was bitten by an Amazonian giant centipede
08:19that was hiding in an open soda can in 2014, and unfortunately passed away soon after. Suddenly,
08:26those common long-legged house centipedes aren't so scary.
08:3010. Goliath Frog.
08:32Some frogs, like bullfrogs, can reach quite the size, at least compared to other frogs. It is the
08:38goliath frog, however, that dwarfs the others in its species. This aptly named frog can weigh over seven
08:44pounds, and have a body length of nearly 13 inches. With legs included, that length is doubled. Owing to
08:50its size, the goliath frog eats animals that ordinarily eat frogs, essentially rewiring the food
08:56chain. Snakes, turtles, other frogs, and even in one instance, a bat are all documented prey. This
09:03amphibious maximus lives in a very tiny region of central Africa, and their already small population is
09:09unfortunately shrinking due to human persecution. The Cameroon government has stepped in to protect
09:14the frogs. Now, Nikoti looks for frogs not to sell them, but to help study them.
09:189. Giant Squid.
09:21It's the closest we've come to finding a mythical sea monster. Giant squids are known through generations
09:27of tall tales and urban legends, from destroying ships to stalking Jack Sparrow.
09:31Hello, beastie. But what's not legend is its body size. Based on only a handful of specimens,
09:42scientists estimate that the giant squid can attain lengths of 43 feet, and weigh over 600 pounds. And
09:49this isn't even the largest squid species. The colossal squid is near kraken in size, as one living
09:55specimen weighed 1,100 pounds. The more you want to learn about the live animals, the more you try
10:02and learn about the live animals, the more you realize that we know absolutely nothing about them.
10:06Their maximum weight is estimated to be around 1,700 pounds, with a body length approaching 50 feet.
10:13Don't you wish these things were imaginary?
10:158. Leatherback Sea Turtle.
10:18Leatherbacks are very interesting animals. They're very mysterious because they spend most all of their
10:23lives out in the open ocean. Everything's bigger in the ocean, and turtles are no exception.
10:27All sea turtles are man-sized or greater, but the leatherback is the size of a car. Well,
10:32at least a smart car. The leatherback sea turtle can be nine feet long and weigh 1,400 pounds.
10:38But there are multiple reports of specimens weighing 2,000 pounds or more, though these are hard to confirm.
10:44These gentle giants swim throughout the globe and feed almost exclusively on jellyfish,
10:49acting as a natural population controller.
10:52While in Atlantic Canadian waters, leatherbacks love to eat jellyfish,
10:56eating more than their body weight in a single day.
10:59There are theories they can live over 100 years if left alone, but as humanity unfortunately dictates,
11:05the most peaceful animals are usually the most vulnerable.
11:097. Nomura's Jellyfish.
11:11Drifting through the ocean since before the dinosaurs, without blood, bones, or a brain.
11:18Even the leatherback might have trouble devouring this guy.
11:21Nomura's jellyfish, named after the man who discovered it, can be almost seven feet in diameter
11:26and weigh 440 pounds. Unlike most other species on this list, Nomura's jellyfish are thriving,
11:33especially in the waters between Japan and China.
11:36They're growing so large and so abundant, in fact, that a 10-ton fishing boat was upended from the
11:48weight of the jellyfish it had caught in its net. Despite its bulk, it is dwarfed in length by the
11:54lion's mane jellyfish, whose tentacles can reach 121 feet.
11:58The Chinese giant salamander truly is a living fossil, belonging to the family Cryptobranchidae,
12:08which has been around over 170 million years. As a kid, you may have flipped rocks in search of
12:13various creatures like salamanders. These lizard-like amphibians could fit in the palm of your hand,
12:19making them perfect trophies for the adolescent adventurer. Coming upon the Chinese giant salamander
12:25would be a different story. Perhaps by flipping cement slabs you could find this creature,
12:30which can be six feet long and weigh 130 pounds. Rarely seen unless hunted for, they are exclusively
12:37aquatic, and scour the rocky bottoms of rivers and lakes for food. Collecting has caught up with this
12:42living dinosaur, however, and extinction is imminent, because of the disruption of its natural environment,
12:48its status as a luxury dish, and its use in Chinese medicine.
12:52If we're not careful, these creatures, which have been around for a long time,
12:56may soon disappear forever.
12:58Number 5. Capybara.
13:00Along the banks of the Amazon River, alert members of the capybara family watch over the herd.
13:06Rodents are some of the smallest mammals in terms of body size. We don't think of mice, squirrels,
13:11hamsters, and shrews as bulky animals, and rightly so. But there's one rodent that breaks this mold,
13:17and that is the capybara. As the largest rodent in the world, the capybara can reach lengths of
13:22nearly five feet and weigh up to 200 pounds. This means that the largest capybara weighs more than
13:28the largest wolf. Such gargantuan creatures reside largely in South America, and spend their lives
13:33foraging for plants and trying to evade predators like anacondas, jaguars, and humans.
13:39In the Amazon, there are many predators, and these plump-bodied capybaras are a favorite prey.
13:45Despite their size, capybaras are not much of a threat, though their huge incisors can pack quite a bite.
13:52Number 4. Giant African Land Snail.
13:55Florida, already full of terrifying animals and critters, is now battling massive invasive snails.
14:04These aren't your garden variety snails. No, they can grow to almost 8 inches long
14:08and 4 inches in diameter. With big bodies come big appetites, and considering how much a regular snail
14:14eats, the African variety can eat tenfold, which is why they are regarded as pests. In fact, the giant
14:20snail is considered one of the world's most harmful invasive species. Its exportation from
14:25Africa led to accidental introduction elsewhere in the world, and also risks the transmission of
14:30meningitis to humans due to parasites it may carry. Eradication projects have been attempted in the
14:36US and South Pacific Islands, but the snails have proven resilient. If you see these large snails,
14:42and they're fairly distinctive, call the Division of Plant Industries, let them know, and they'll come out.
14:48Number 3. Continental Giant Rabbit. This is Grace. She's a continental giant,
14:54and Grace is nine months old. The continental rabbit is bred for insane sizes, and this genetic
15:00tampering has not failed to elicit results. At 4 feet 4 inches long and weighing 55 pounds,
15:06these rabbits rival dogs in size. They were first recorded in 1893, descending from the original
15:12Flemish giants. Both kinds were brought from Europe to America in the 1800s, in an effort to have them
15:27increase the size of American breeds by mating. Originally, they were used more for their parts,
15:32like fur and meat, but nowadays they are coveted as pets. For some, a world of giant bunnies wouldn't be so
15:38bad, but for others, that would be a little too close to a Donnie Darko-style fantasy.
15:43Number 2. Giant Golden-Crowned Flying Fox are just big, harmless bats. The biggest in the world.
15:51Their wingspan can reach a whopping six feet. The Golden-Crowned Flying Fox is a bat, not a fox at
15:57all, but is named due to its fox-like coloring. The flying fox has a near six-foot wingspan, which
16:03approaches that of an eagle, securing its status as the largest flying mammal in existence. Luckily
16:09for humanity, the flying fox belongs to the fruit bat family, so it is entirely content with feeding on
16:15plant material. In fact, the flying fox is completely non-aggressive, and can even be said to be cute.
16:21However, that doesn't mean we want to be keeping one as a pet any time soon.
16:25During the day, they live in huge colonies or camps, housing up to a hundred thousand flying foxes.
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16:48Number 1. The Big Duck Quite a bit larger than all other ducks,
16:53this big one comes in at 60 feet tall and weighs over 15 tons. Scientists are beside themselves in
16:59shock. The last to bring their research on this issue to the Mallard Council was called a quack.
17:04But… really, the weirdest huge animal is…
17:07Number 1. Japanese Spider Crab.
17:09They're actually fairly small for their species. These guys can get up to over 10 feet across.
17:15This spider crab is a deep-sea crustacean that lives off the coast of Japan. It was named
17:20appropriately due to its long, spidery legs that extend from a rather small body. The body is only
17:2516 inches, but with legs included, the Japanese spider crab can approach 12 feet long, making this
17:32phobia-exploiting creature the largest arthropod species in terms of length. This king-sized crab is
17:38also adept at using camouflage to survive. At least nature was sympathetic, and left this terrifying
17:44animal amalgam at the bottom of the ocean. Meaning, it's likely that the only time you'll see it is in your
17:49nightmares. What massive animals have surprised you with their size? Let us know in the comments.
18:06Weighing in at nearly a ton and as big as a horse, the liger is the true definition of weird.
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