The world is home to numerous creatures both great and small… but some of those creatures are really, really "great." Both on land and in the sea, animals many times the size of a human can be found swimming and stomping about, and even though many of them are perfectly docile, it's still a bit intimidating to come across one. In fact, some of the critters that roam the Earth are so large, it's almost hard to believe they're real!
We tend to think of prehistoric times when unnervingly large animals come to mind, but while the dinosaurs have died out, there are still plenty of gigantic creatures that have survived into the modern day. Just check out some of these behemoth critters and see the proof for yourself! But even though many of us are accustomed to seeing animals that look like they're supposed to be large, such as this big baby elephant who doesn't seem to realize he's not a tiny puppy, it's always a bit startling to see one that looks like it's a magnified version of a smaller, more familiar creature.
If you've always wanted to see just how big Earth's treasures can really get, take a look at these giant animals that roam the planet today. I'll be honest: I really thought some of these were digitally altered photographs at first. But yep, all of these humongous animals are absolutely 100 percent real.
Make sure you SHARE these colossal critters with all your animal-loving friends!
1. Maine Coon
Standing up to 16 inches tall when standing on all fours and weighing up to 18 pounds, the Maine Coon cat is the largest domestic feline in the world. The Guinness World Records' official "longest cat" was a Maine Coon named Stewie, who measured a whopping 48 inches from his nose to the tip of his tail.
2. Giant Huntsman Spider
Yep, this is the world's largest spider. With a legspan of up to a foot, these spiders may be huge and terrifying, but they're actually harmless to humans. They're a recently discovered species, having first been found in a cave in Laos in 2001.
3. Goliath Frog
Most of the frogs you might come across in the woods around your neighborhood aren't 7 pounds and 13 inches long, but then again, you probably don't live in Cameroon or Equatorial New Guinea, where the Goliath frog is found.
4. Sunfish
The sunfish looks like it came straight out of one of your stranger nightmares, but don't worry: they subsist mainly on jellyfish and are docile or even friendly with humans. The largest one on record tipped the scales at over two and a half tons and was 11 feet long.
5. Blue Whale
The blue whale is a peaceful marine mammal that happens to be the largest creature on Earth. At around 98 feet in length and 190 tons in weight, we can all be thankful these animals prefer to eat krill and not humans.
6. Golden-Crowned Flying Fox
It's no secret as to why this animal has its name; it's truly closer to the size of a fox than that of a bat. Even though it has a wingspan of up to 5.6 feet, it luckily prefers eating fresh fruit to drinking the blood of its enemies.
7. Sunflower Starfish
Not only can these massive sea stars span up to three feet in diameter from the tip of one leg to the other, but they also have a whopping 24 "arms!"
8. Irish Wolfhound
The Irish wolfhound is the tallest breed of dog, standing up to three feet at the shoulders. They're also extremely gentle, loyal, and intelligent pups. However, the biggest dog on record was a Great Dane.
9. Flemish Giant Rabbit
I know this picture looks Photoshopped, but believe it or not, that's a very real rabbit next to a Shetland sheepdog. The Flemish giant rabbit weighs an average of 15 pounds, and the largest one on record was a shocking 32 inches long.
10. Giant African Snail
Unlike the little snails you find in your garden, these massive gastropods can have shells that grow up to seven inches long. Unless you live in Africa, though, you won't have to worry about coming across one.
11. Capybara
These mammals are rodents, just like the little chipmunks and squirrels that scamper around your backyard, but unlike those smaller critters, capybaras can grow to be up to two feet tall at the withers. They can also be as heavy as 146 pounds!
12. Giant Freshwater Stingray
Don't worry — you won't find these rays swimming around you when you visit the beach. They only exist in freshwater, specifically in the rivers in Indochina and Borneo, and they can grow to be up to six feet in diameter and 1,300 pounds.
13. Hercules Beetle
These massive beetles are found in Central and South America, and while they're harmless to humans, most of us still wouldn't want to wake up to one of these seven-inch bugs crawling on us.
14. Saltwater Crocodile
Both the largest living reptile and the largest predator to walk on land, the saltwater crocodile is truly a modern-day dinosaur. In fact, the species is older than many dinosaurs, first appearing on the planet 200 million years ago. They might not be a T. rex, but at 20 feet long and 3,000 pounds, they can certainly be just as terrifying as their extinct relatives.
15. Chinese Giant Salamander
Sadly, these amphibians are critically endangered. They can grow up to four feet in length, but years ago, some were recorded as being up to six feet long from nose to tail!
16. Japanese Spider Crab
The Japanese spider crab looks kind of like a spider, kind of like a crab, and kind of like your worst nightmare. Unlike the crabs you eat at popular seafood chains, these crustaceans can weigh up to 40 pounds. They also have a terrifying "claw span" of up to 12 feet!
Don't forget to SHARE these huge animals with all your friends!
