The 10 largest mammals in the world are in themselves the ten largest species of whales, which would certainly not be of greater interest for a list. Here is a more representative selection of the 10 largest mammals in the world:
Numbers 1 and 2 live in the water:
The largest mammal on earth is the blue whale, about 30 m long. It is a baleen whale that only feeds on krill and small fish. He is a member of the baleen whale family and, despite the strict ban on fishing, is still very endangered.
The sperm whale is the largest predatory whale in the world. It is about 20 m long, but is a toothed whale that lives predatory. Among other things, it catches giant octopuses and squids in depths that hardly anyone can reach. Sperm whales have already been spotted at depths of 3,000 m if they were tangled in cables or telephone lines. Exactly what prey they find there and how they do it in total darkness is still not fully understood.
Giants on land:
The largest land animal in the world is the African elephant. It can weigh over four tons. In contrast to its smaller Indian cousins, the African elephant does not become very tame and cannot be trained for work. Because of the ivory, elephants are hunted very illegally, which is mainly due to the huge demand in East Asia. They share the fate of the Rhinos.
Rhinos also live in Asia and Africa, although the African black rhinoceros can weigh over three tons. Rhinos are almost extinct in East Asia and their days also seem to be numbered in Africa, because in China the horn is considered a miracle cure for cancer, for manpower and much more. Incidentally, it consists of keratin – like a fingernail too…
The hippo with its weight of up to three tons, it is actually related to the pigs. Although they appear quite sluggish and cozy in the water, these animals should not be underestimated: they are responsible for far more fatal accidents in Africa than lions or leopards.
The walrus lives partly on land and partly in water, which is the only seal species among the 10 largest mammals in the world. The walruses, which are still quite common in Alaska, can weigh up to 1.2 tons. The climate change with the melting of the ice and the warming of the water threatens this animal species far more than the illegal hunting by incorrigible people.
The ice Bear is the largest land-based predator on earth. It lives only in the northern hemisphere and weighs up to 800 kg. Polar bears are also extremely aggressive towards humans, as they have had little to do with humans in their developmental history until the Arctic researchers came. The Inuit always kept polar bear watch in their villages because the animals tend to attack immediately. Today, polar bears are severely threatened by climate change; they are difficult to reproduce in the zoo. The moving little polar bear Knut from Berlin Zoo became famous.
The Siberian tiger is the largest big cat on earth and with a length of almost three and a half meters (with tail) also the longest land predator among mammals.
Like all tiger species, it too is under serious threat due to its wonderful fur and the huge demand from the Asian middle and upper classes for potency drugs and miracle elixirs. Rigid protective measures are now taking effect in Russia and it is hoped that these wonderful creatures can survive.
The giraffe is the tallest mammal in the world at around five meters. Giraffes are quite common in Africa and also welcome residents in zoos.
The largest mammals in Europe are the wisent and the elk, which both weigh around 500 kg, but can also become significantly heavier in captivity. The wisent is a wild cattle that only exists in Poland, Russia and the Caucasus. However, it is being considered to reintroduce bison in Germany as well.
The moose is the largest deer on earth, which lives in Northeast and Northern Europe and is quite common there. Recently, wild moose have also entered eastern Germany, where they are more than happy to welcome them.