5 largest animals living today.

Animal are found in various shapes and sizes. Some are really massive. They are enormous, weigh enormous and are fascinating. There may be even more large, tall and massive animals. But here is list of top 5 largest animals living on earth today.

Blue Whale Tail | Wikimedia Commons
Whales
Its wise to mention that if we plainly talk about 5 largest animals on earth all top 5 places would be occupied by whales. Blue Whales top the list with average length of 25.5 meters or equal to 3 trucks in length and weighs around 110 tonnes. Heaviest whale ever weighed was 190 tonnes. This is 20 times equal to the weight of largest terrestrial animal African bush Elephant. Whales are mammals
The next largest animal also is a whale called Fin whale with average length of 19 meters. Next in line are North pacific right whale, Southern whale, North Atlantic right whale and Bowhead whale (phew) with average lengths of 15 meters. Whales feed mostly on krills and copepods. Blue whale may eat 40million krills a day equaling about 3,600 Kg of krills! It is estimated a blue whale lives for 80 years.

Giant Squid and colossal squid 
Replica of Giant Squid | Wikimedia Commons
Giant squid is deep ocean living squid with an average size of 13 meter and male giant squid being 10 meters in length. Whereas Colossal squid though never seen in its natural habitat are known to be having maximum length of 12-14 meters or even more. Problem measuring these creatures is that they shrink considerably when taken out of water. Scientists can only estimate their length based on analysis of small specimen and pictures taken. Giant squid also has the largest eyeballs with 27 cm diameter. The body of both species is divided into three parts i.e Mantle, head and tentacles. Both of them have eight arms and two longer tentacles. Both of these creatures appears to be same they totally belong to different genus. So its Colossal Squid which is larger than Giant Squid. Nevertheless, both these creatures are large marine creatures.

Juvenile Africean Bush Elephant | Wikimedia Commons
African bush elephants
African bush elephants are known to be the largest terrestrial species of animal. They are found in some parts of southern and central Africa. They are on average 3.3 meters tall at the shoulder, 6 meter in length and weighs around 5.5 tonnes, whereas female are smaller and weighs less than males. It has large ears to radiate excess heat out of the body. They also have large tusks. African Bush Elephants, just like other elephant species are herbivore. They consume 225 Kg of vegetable matter and 190 liters of water daily.
Though large in size, North bush elephant are known to flee the area if they hear honeybees around. The number of these species has fallen greatly due to poaching. In 2010, it was found only around 10,000 individual African Bush elephants are living as compared to 30,000 in 1970.

Kodiak brown bear
Kodiak Bear | Wikimedia Commons
Kodiak brown bear or Alaskan Grizzly Bear are the largest brown bear and also largest among all bear, other being the polar bear. They are found in island of Kodiak in Southern Alaska region. Kodiak brown bear are 2.4 meters in length and 1.3 meters tall when standing on all four legs. It can rise upto 3 meters when on two legs. It weighs around  700-800 kg. The largest Kodiak bear among the species weighed around 1000 kg. Thus making them the largest terrestrial carnivore. They feed on fishes, while some are known to be hunting deer and mountain goat. The average lifespan of Kodiak brown bear is 20 years.

Saltwater Crocodile | Wikimedia Commons
Saltwater Crocodile
Saltwater crocodiles are the largest reptiles living on earth. Their size can reach upto 6.7 meters and weigh as much as 2000 kg. Saltwater Crocodiles are found South east Asia. They are also found with largest teeth measuring upto 9 cm.
The largest male saltwater crocodile was found in Odisha, India with length of 7.1m and largest female ever recorded was 4.1 meters long.
Their prey depends on availability and are known to take deer, wild boar, python, turtle, jackal, kangaroos, monkeys, water buffaloes They may also attack human if found in their territory.  They are know to have strongest bite than any other animal today.

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