Animals That Are Much Larger Than You Ever Imagined
Have you ever gone to a basketball game and sat close to the floor for the first time, only to realize that the players are so much taller than you ever could have conceptualized on screen?
While we have a lot of basic knowledge on a wide array of wild animals, it's hard to really grasp exactly how big they are. Here are some mind-blowing comparisons to give you some perspective on how big some animals actually are.
This Bison Weighs 3000 Pounds
The person seen here is actually tagging and drawing blood to run a test on this bison. This bison is domesticated, but you should never approach one (or a herd) in the wild because they will win the fight.
A Grizzly Bear's Paw
Don't worry: the bear was sedated at the time of this photo. A grizzly bear's swing packs enough punch that one can kill a fully grown adult elk with a quick swipe of its paw.
I Didn't Know A Salamander Could Be This Large
Photographed here is a giant Chinese salamander, a species that is the largest amphibian in the world and is critically endangered. Interestingly, these giant salamanders make crying noises similar to small children.
These Are An Eagle's Talons
Because you're much more likely to see an eagle flying from afar rather than seeing one close up, it can be hard to conceptualize just how large these predatory birds are. Up close, it's easy to see how their talons are lethal.
A Maine Coon Vs. A Siamese Cat
Maine Coons are the largest domesticated cat breed in the world. These cats were originally native to North America, inhabiting areas in New England. They were popular farm cats due to their strong mouse-hunting instincts.
A Human Next To A Blue Whale Skull
The blue whale is believed to be the largest animal to ever have inhabited the earth, yet it feeds on some of the smallest marine life there is, such as shrimp and krill—and we're so thankful for that.
No Wonder They Can Run So Fast
This is a pair of inflated horse lungs that have been removed from a dying horse. For further comparison, the average lung capacity for a human is four liters; for horses, it's 55 liters.
Imagine Swimming Next To This Big Guy
This is the Goliath Tigerfish, a large species of predatory fish that lives in the Congo Basin River, a river that runs from central Democratic Republic of Congo to the Atlantic Ocean.
Raise Your Hand If You Didn't Think Snails Were This Big
This woman is holding an African Land Snail, a large species of land snail native to east Africa that is known to be one of the most invasive species in the world.
I Wouldn't Want To Tango With That Big Boy
The turtle on top is the more common species of snapping turtle you'll find in most ponds and lakes, whereas the one on the bottom is what a fully grown alligator snapping turtle looks like.
It's Official: I Fear The Animals In Australia
This person here is holding the talons of a male southern cassowary, a flightless bird that inhabits areas in Australia and Papua New Guinea. These birds are known to attack using their talons, aiming to disembowel their opponents.
This Horse Could Knock Me Cold With A Half-Hearted Kick
Pictured here are three Clydesdale horses, a Scottish breed of horse that was originally used for farming, heavy hauling for logging, and driving carriages. These giant horses are gentle creatures and have very calm dispositions.
Chicken Egg Vs. Emu Eggs
Emus are large (they can grow up to two meters tall!) flightless birds that are indigenous to Australia. Considering that they are the second-largest bird species in the world, it's no real surprise that their eggs are enormous.
Imagine Seeing One Of These In Your House
Despite its terrifying size, this spider is one of the least dangerous ones in Australia, and its bite is more of a nuisance to humans than anything. This spider is part of a family called huntsman spiders, which contains the largest spider species in the world.
Wombats Seem Too Cuddly To Be This Big
This is Patrick, a wombat who lived in a wildlife sanctuary in Australia. While he was a bit bigger than the average wombat, he was still an absolute sweetheart. An additional wombat fun fact is that they poop cubes!
This Is An Adult Leatherback Turtle
Leatherback turtles are the largest of all living turtles on the planet and the only turtle species alive to not have a hard shell. The female turtles only breach the surface and climb on land once a year to lay eggs on the beaches of the southern Caribbean.
What An Absolute Unit
I had no idea that a rabbit could be this large. This specific species of rabbit is called a Flemish giant, and they're known for being cuddly and peaceful despite their gargantuan size.
Imagine The Light It Would Fly Into
You're probably more accustomed to seeing small moths try to attack the light on your porch at night. This is the Atlas Moth, which has an average wingspan of nine inches.
Siberian Husky Vs. Wolf
Wolves tend to avoid interacting with humans by living in remote areas, so it's hard to conceptualize how large they really are in comparison to the dogs we're more accustomed to. The answer is that they're much bigger than you'd expect.
...And Sometimes It's Nice To Think About How Small You Are
This new father was absolutely shocked and amazed by how his newborn baby was so tiny that it was almost the same size as his phone. It's humbling to think that we all started this small.
