Amazing Animals

Biggest animal The blue whale is the largest sea mammal and the biggest animal that has ever lived on Earth. An adult can weigh up to 147 tons (150 tonnes). Biggest bird The African ostrich is the largest bird in the world. Males can be up to 9 ft 2 in (2.8 m) tall and weigh 345 lb (156 kg). Ostriches are also the fastest two-legged animals, running at speeds of up to 45 mph (72 kph). Longest wings

The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird. Its wings can measure over 11 ft 6 in (3.5 m) from one tip to the other. This albatross sometimes flies 560 miles (900 km) in a day.

Royal giant

The Queen Alexandra’s birdwing butterfly of Papua New Guinea is the largest and heaviest butterfly in the world. It has a wingspan of up to 9.8 in (25 cm).

Skyscraper neck The giraffe towers up to 19 ft 4 in (5.9 m) above the African grasslands. Yet its incredible long neck contains only seven vertebrae—the same as all other mammals.

Fastest flyer

The peregrine falcon is the fastest living creature, reaching speeds of at least 112 mph (180 kph) when it dives through the air in pursuit of its prey. Largest on land

The African savannah elephant is the world’s largest land animal.

A large male weighs about 5.9 tons (6 tonnes) and is 13 ft 1 in (4 m) tall at the shoulder. Long tail The male quetzal of Central America has huge tail feathers that are more than twice the length of his body. He uses them to attract a mate, and sheds them after mating season.

Smallest bird

The Cuban bee hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world.

An adult male is only 2 in (6 cm) long; half of its length is taken up by its bill and tail.

Heaviest insect

The goliath beetle weighs up to 3.5 oz (100 g) and is the heaviest living insect.

Smallest mammal

Thailand’s rare Kitti’s hog-nosed bat is the joint holder of the record for smallest land mammal. It has a wingspan of only 6 in (15 cm) and weighs no more than 0.07 oz (2 g).

Fastest runner

The African cheetah can run at speeds of up to 62 mph (100 kph) over short distances, but it tires easily and has to stop to recover.

Champion jumper A common flea can do a high jump of 7.7 in (19 cm), 130 times its own height. It can do a long jump of 13 in (33 cm). Huge homes Some African termites build tall, narrow nests over 26 ft (8 m) high. One may contain up to 5 million termites. Slow mover

The South American threetoed sloth moves along the ground at speeds of only 6 ft 6 in (2 m) a minute. In the trees it is a little faster, reaching a top speed of about 10 ft (3 m) a minute.

Egg-beater

The ocean sunfish lays more eggs than any other fish or vertebrate (back-boned animal). One female was found to be carrying 300 million eggs.

Talking birds Pet parrots can be taught to speak. They can also learn how to recognize colors, shapes, and numbers. The female black widow spider often eats the male spider after he has mated with her. She contains poison that is 15 times more deadly than the poison of a rattlesnake.

Fearsome fish

South American piranhas have a reputation for killing cows, horses, and people. While they do have sharp teeth and a strong bite, they can only tackle large prey if it is dead or dying. Long tongue The chameleon can extend its tongue to more than the length of its body. It shoots out its tongue with lightning speed and traps insects on the sticky tip.

Longest journey Every year, the Arctic tern migrates from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back, a return trip of 16,000 miles (26,000 km).

Smelly spray The North American skunk sprays a nasty-smelling liquid over its enemies and can hit a target accurately from about 12 ft (3.6 m) away.

Noisiest animal

The howler monkeys of the tropical American rainforests are the noisiest land animals. Their calls can be heard up to 2 miles (3 km) away. Living mouthful The frontosa cichlid protects her young by holding them in her mouth while they are small. She spits out the young fish so that they can feed.

Long life The New Zealand tuatara often lives for 120 years or more and its eggs may take up to 15 months to hatch. Big mouth The African egg-eating snake can swallow eggs twice the size of its own head. Its jaws are hinged with special ligaments that stretch open to allow the egg to pass down its throat.

Short life

The adult mayfly lives for only a few days. It spends its short life looking for a mate. Its young may live for a year or more.

Egg-laying mammal

The Australian platypus is a very unusual mammal because it lays eggs. When the young hatch out, they feed on their mother’s milk, which they suck off the fur on her stomach. Deadly venom

The king cobra from southeastern Asia is the longest venomous snake in the world. It can reach a length of 14 ft 7 in (4.5 m).