20 of Planet Earth’s Most Massive Animals (Photos + Video)

There are some animals out there that are larger than we can ever imagine. Some animals we’ve seen in the wild and just can’t imagine it being bigger than what it already is. Others are so big that it’s hard to believe that their species even exists.

Check out our list of 20 animals that are larger than life.

1.The Great White Shark 

Found near the Guadalupe Island, this great white is known as Deep Blue. She is the largest shark to ever be recorded. Experts have estimated that Deep Blue is over 20 feet long and weighs in at over 2,000 pounds. This video shows how truly massive that Deep Blue actually is compared to other fish and humans.

2.Hercules the Cat 

Meet Hercules, the world’s largest living cat. Hercules is known as a liger, meaning that he is half lion and half tiger. In 2014, Hercules was deemed by Guinness as the world’s largest cat, weighing in at 922 pounds. Average ligers typically weigh around 700 pounds. Hercules actually weights 200 pounds more than the average liger. Hercules currently lives at the Myrtle Beach Safari in South Carolina.

3.Big Jake the Horse

In 2012, Big Jake was considered the world’s tallest horse. Jake is a Belgian gelding that stands over 6 feet tall. This gentle horse weighs 2,600 pounds, definitely earning him his nickname. This large horse has a large appetite too, Jake’s owners feed him 1 1/2 bales of hay and 40 quarts of oats on a daily basis. Big Jake is so large that his owners have to transport him in a semi truck!

4.Himmy the House Cat 

Himmy might not be the largest cat in the world. However, Himmy does hold the ranking for the largest domestic cat. Unfortunately, Himmy has since passed away due to respiratory failure. When Himmy was alive, the cat weight 46 pounds. Himmy lived in Queensland, Australia until the age of 10.

5.One Giant Alligator 

Alligators are already terrifying. Now imagine an alligator that’s 15 feet long and weighs over 1,000 pounds. This alligator was caught by the Stokes family in Alabama. This terrifying creature has since been stuffed and is on display at the Montgomery Zoo’s Mann Wildlife Learning Museum. This large beast is the largest alligator to ever be caught by man.

6.Cockroaches 

If you thought that cockroaches were already big and gross, think again. The average cockroach isn’t as terrifying as it could be. Located in Ecuador, Peru, and Panama you can find the Megaloblatta longipennis, the world’s largest cockroach. These little guys can grow to be 3 inches in length and almost 2 inches wide. Compared to an average cockroach, these guys are huge.

7.Lion’s Mane Jellyfish 

Since their discovery in 1870, the Lion’s Mane Jellyfish is still considered the largest jellyfish species known to man. It may be hard to believe, but the Lion’s Man Jellyfish can get up to 120 feet long. To put this giant jellyfish into perspective, the average blue whale can grow up to 100 feet long. Talk about terrifying!

8.Goliath the Tortoise 

Now, tortoises can get fairly big during their long lifetimes. During his lifetime, Goliath was the largest living tortoise on earth. Goliath unfortunately passed away in 2002. When he died he was 4 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 2 feet tall. Goliath weighed in at 919 pounds at the time of his death. Considering that many people aren’t attempting to move a 900 pound animal, Goliath still ranks in as the largest recorded tortoise in history.

9.Medusa the Snake

We bet you’re asking yourself how a snake could be more terrifying than it already is. Well, that snake could weight 350 pounds. This particular snake is known as Medusa. Medusa is 25 feet long and owned by Full Moon Productions. Medusa might not be the largest snake in the world, but we aren’t willing to find out.

10.Darius the Rabbit 

Meet Darius, the world’s largest rabbit. Darius lives in England with his owner Annette Edwards. Darius is over 4 feet long and weighs 48 pounds. Darius might be the largest rabbit right now, but he may have some competition. Edwards also takes care of Jeff the rabbit. Jeff is Darius’ brother who was 3 feet at the age of one. Jeff might soon outweigh his brother.

11.The Goliath Bird-Eating Spider 

The Goliath Bird-Eating spider isn’t your typical spider. These tarantulas can grow to have an 11 inch leg span. If that wasn’t bad enough, these spiders have fangs that are at least 1 inch long. When threatened, this tarantula will make a loud rubbing sound with its legs. This noise is so loud that it can be heard from 15 feet away.

12.One Giant Stingray

Found in 2015, Thailand’s Me Klong River was this giant stingray. This guy is believed to be the world’s largest stingray. This particular stingray measured in at 7 feet wide, 14 feet long, and weights between 700 and 800 pounds. Not only is this stingray the largest of its kind, it might be the largest freshwater fish in history.

13. Giant Rats 

Normal rats can weigh anywhere between 4 to 12 ounces. However, one giant rat was discovered in London. This particular rat is said to be over 4 feet long and weight 25 pounds. Many believe the rat to be apart of the Gambian Species. This particular species of rat can grow up to 3 feet long.

14.Larger than Life Squid 

In 2015, a young man saw something mysterious was up on the beach. Once he got closer he realized it was a giant squid. This squid measures to be over 22 feet long and weighs close to 1,000 pounds. This giant was eventually moved to the KaiKoura Marine Center and Aquarium to be studied.

15.Gargantua the Gorilla 

The largest recorded gorilla is known as Gargantua. This giant weighs close to 600 pounds and stands over 5 feet tall. Gargantua used to be a circus performer until his death in 1949. Typically a full grown gorilla will weigh between 300 and 400 pounds. Gargantua definitely towered over them all!

16.African Snails 

Many of us can’t even imagine a snail being large. After all, garden snails are some of the tiniest creatures we can find in our gardens. However, the African Snail is the largest recorded snail. These little guys can grow to be 8 inches long. The average adult shell can reach lengths up to 7 inches.

17.Chris the Sheep

 

Due to his time in the wild, Chris the sheep was about 4 times the size of a normal sheep. Chris’ hair kept growing and growing without anyone to cut it. Eventually Chris was picked up by some kind people and they decided to cut his hair and take care of him. By the time they cut all of his hair off, they’d realized that Chris had close to 90 pounds of wool on him. It took 5 shearers to cut it all off.

18.The Largest Elephant 

The largest elephant to ever be recorded was from Angola. Unfortunately, the male elephant was shot. Before his death the elephant weighed 26,000 pounds, that’s 13 tons.  Most elephants weigh between 8,000 and 13,000 pounds, making this guy the largest elephant to ever be recorded.

19.Giant George 

Before he passed away, Giant George was the world’s largest great dane. George ws over 3 feet tall from his paw to his shoulder, making him almost 7 feet tall when he stood on his back legs. Giant George weighed in at 245 pounds. Many great danes have tried to beat George’s record, but none have come close to both his height and weight.

20.The Notorious Blue Whale

Whales are the largest species on the entire planet. They are even bigger than any of the dinosaurs ever were. The largest whale that has ever been recorded was a female that was over 108 feet long.  These animals generally weigh between 173 to 190 tons. No animal can even come close to this giant animal.