Can You Identify 40 of the Heaviest Animals in the World?

ANIMALS

By: Khadija Leon

7 Min Quiz

Image: Elena Eliachevitch/Moment/Getty Images

About This Quiz

There are millions of animals on the planet, all of which come in different shapes and sizes, from the microscopic spider mites to the large and in charge colossal squid. Some animals are very tall and others are so short that you wouldn't notice them unless you looked down. Because they come in different sizes, they all have different weights. The heaviest recorded is a blue whale weighing 190 tons.

Many of the larger animals tend to be mammalian and reptilian, but there are also a few birds and amphibians who made the list. Some of these animals include the blue whale, the African elephant, the giraffe, the elephant seal, the polar bear, and the saltwater crocodile.

How well do you know some of the heaviest animals in the animal kingdom? Whether they are flying up in the sky, swimming through the depths of the ocean, or roaming through the jungles, could you identify some of these animals if you were given an image of them? There is only one way to find out, and that is by taking this quiz!

The animal shown in the image is the largest animal in the world. What is it called?

The blue whale is a marine mammal which is the largest animal to have ever lived on Earth. They can grow to lengths up to 100 feet long and have weighed upward of 200 tons (400,000 pounds). Some of this endangered species’ internal organs have been estimated to weigh as much as an automobile.

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Despite its name, this animal is a docile fish that feeds on plankton. Which of the following is it?

Whale sharks, which can grow to lengths of more than 40 feet and weights exceeding 20 tons (40,000 pounds), are the largest fish in the sea. Despite their name, they are docile and feed on plankton and other small fish.

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Which of these creatures is the largest land mammal in the world?

The African elephant is the largest land animal in the world. A fully grown adult can be as tall as 13 feet, can weigh upwards of 7 tons (14,000 pounds), and has an average life span of 70 years. These animals can consume up to 300 pounds of food in a single day.

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This animal is the largest in its family. What is it called?

The Southern elephant seal is the largest in the seal family, and the largest marine mammal, excluding the cetaceans. Named after the elephant because of its large size, the males can weigh upwards of 4 tons (8,000 pounds) when fully grown.

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What is the name of the animal which is the largest member of the Bovini tribe?

The Water buffalo, also called the Asian buffalo, is one of the largest members of the Bovini tribe, standing over 6 feet tall at the shoulder and weighing upwards of 1.3 tons (2,600 pounds). These herbivorous animals can be found in tropical and subtropical forests in Asia where they spend much of their time in muddy water.

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The animal in the image has an appendage that contains more than 100,000 muscles. What is it called?

The Asian elephant is one of the largest land animals on Earth, but they are smaller than their African cousins, standing 6 to 9 feet tall at the shoulder and weighing as much as 5.5 tons (11,000 pounds) when fully grown. The animal’s trunk is thought to contain more than 100,000 different muscles.

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Which of these animals is also referred to as the tembadua?

The Banteng, sometimes called the tembadau, is a species of wild cattle commonly found in Southeast Asia, where they are used both for their meat and as working animals. They can grow up to 11 feet tall and have a total body weight of 0.9 tons (almost 1,800 pounds).

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This large animal has another name besides Lord Derby. Which of the following is it?

The giant eland, which is also called Lord Derby eland, is a species of antelope which can be found in some African countries. Known and hunted for its spiral-horned antelopes, the adult males can weigh upwards of 1 ton (2,000 pounds).

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What is the name of the animal which can be found​ in Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Kenya?

The white rhinoceros is a large land mammal which can mostly be found in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and South Africa. Despite its name, it is actually grey. The highest recorded weight of the white rhino is 4 tons (8,000 pounds).

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The animal in the image is the largest subspecies of its​ kind in North America. What is it called?

The Alaskan moose, also known as the giant moose, is the largest subspecies of moose found in North America. Large adult males can weigh up to 0.8 tons (1,600 pounds), and can also grow to heights upwards of 5.5 feet. Although they are not threatened, laws protect these solitary animals.

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Which of these animals is the largest invertebrate in the world?

The colossal squid, also known as the Antarctic squid, is the species of squid believed to be one of the largest in terms of mass as well as being the largest invertebrate in the world. Current estimates are at 46 feet in length and 0.83 tons (1,650 pounds).

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Found in the tropical waters of the Indo Pacific Ocean is a critically endangered animal which grows to more than 20 feet long. What is it called?

The Longcomb sawfish, also called the green sawfish, is a species of sawfish which can be found in the tropical waters of the Indo Pacific Ocean. The critically endangered species can grow to lengths of 24 feet and weighs more than 0.65 tons (1,300 pounds).

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This animal's names comes from the Greek word for "river horse."

Hippopotamus, which comes from the Greek word for “river horse,” is an herbivorous semiaquatic animal found in many African countries. They can spend as long as 16 hours a day in rivers and waters to help them stay cool. Fully grown hippos can be as heavy as 4 tons (8,000 pounds).

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Which of these carnivorous animals can be found throughout the Arctic Circle?

Polar bears are carnivorous animals which can be found throughout the Arctic Circle where the temperature can be as low as minus 50 degrees Celsius. To survive, they have a number of adaptations, including pads on their paws for traction in the ice. These bears can be as heavy as 0.8 tons (1,600 pounds).

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What is the name of the animal which is found in the grasslands and savannas of Africa?

Giraffes are the tallest mammals in the world. Their 6-foot tall legs are taller than most human beings. Found in the grasslands and savannas of Africa, each of these animals has a unique coat pattern. Their total height can exceed 16 feet, and they can weigh up to 1.4 tons (2,800 pounds).

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One of these animals is also known as the killer whale. Which one is it?

The Orca, or killer whale, is one of the largest dolphins in the world and also one of the top apex predators. It feeds on seals, sea lions, and whales. These marine mammals, when fully grown, can exceed 32 feet in length and 6 tons (12,000 pounds) in weight.

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This animal's name indicates the shape of its lip. What is it called?

The black rhinoceros is so named because it has a pointed upper lip, making it different from the white rhinoceros. The difference in its lip shape allows it to get its food from trees and bushes rather than grazing on grass. The black rhino can weigh up to 1.5 tons (3,000 pounds).

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Which of these animals is able to run at speeds exceeding 40 miles an hour?

The ostrich is the world’s largest bird and it can be found in the savannas and deserts of Africa. These flightless birds are able to run at speeds exceeding 40 miles an hour, and have been found to be as tall as 9 feet and can weigh as much as 0.175 tons (350 pounds).

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The animal in the photo is also called the Indian bison. What is its original name?

The guar, sometimes called the Indian bison, is a vulnerable species of wild cattle which can be found in South and Southeast Asia. The adult males grow to an average height of 6 feet, 7 inches tall and can weigh as much as 1.5 tons (3,000 pounds).

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Because of its long hair, this animal is able to withstand temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius. What is it called?

The yak is a long-haired mammal that can be found at elevations of 14,000 to 20,000 feet in China, Mongolia, and Nepal, where temperatures can be as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius. Wild yaks grow to heights exceeding 6 feet and they have an average weight of 1.1 tons (2,200 pounds).

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Which of these animals is the largest living reptile in the world?

The Saltwater crocodile, also called the estuarine crocodile, is the largest living reptile in the world and can be found throughout India, parts of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Australia. These animals can be as long as 17 feet and weigh as much as 0.5 tons (1,000 pounds).

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What is the name of the animal which can be found in the subarctic seas in the Northern Hemisphere?

The walrus is a marine mammal which can be found in the subarctic seas of the Arctic Ocean in the Northern Hemisphere. Known for their prominent tusks and mustaches, walruses can grow to 11 feet in length and weigh up to 1.5 tons (3,000 pounds).

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This animal can be found in an Archipelago near Alaska. What is it called?

The Kodiak bear, also called the Alaskan brown bear, is found exclusively in the Kodiak Archipelago near Alaska. These bears weigh an average of 0.66 tons (1,320 pounds), but have been known to exceed 0.75 tons (1,500 pounds).

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One of these animals is symbolic of the Great Plains. What is it called?

The American bison, also called the American buffalo, is a species of bison that has been around since 9000 BC. These animals, which are symbolic of the Great Plains, are some of the heaviest land animals in North America, some of which weigh as much as 1.1 tons (2,200 pounds).

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Which of these animals is known for its complex song?

The Humpback whale is a type of whale that can be found in oceans and seas around the world. These animals are known for their large size (they can weigh up to 33 tons (66,000 pounds) as well as their complex songs.

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This animal can be found in different southern and eastern African countries. What is it called?

The Cape buffalo, also called the African buffalo, is one of the largest species of buffalo. It can be found in southern as well as eastern Africa. Although they are not very tall, they are extremely heavy, sometimes weighing more than 0.94 tons (1,900 pounds).

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What is the name of the animal which belongs to the Acipenseridae family?

The sturgeon is the name of one of the 27 species of fish belonging to the Acipenseridae family, which are found in the Northern Hemisphere. They are usually found living in the sea but go up the river at least once a year to lay their eggs. Some of these fish can weigh upwards of 1.45 tons (2,900 pounds).

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Which of these animals lacks a bony shell characteristic of the rest of the animals in the family?

The leatherback sea turtle is a vulnerable species of turtles and is also the largest living turtle in the world. The turtles lack a bony shell, and instead have a flexible carapace which looks like leather. They can weigh upwards of 1 ton (2,000 pounds).

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One of these animals can be found near freshwater rivers and marshes in the southeastern United States. What is it called?

The American alligator is a large reptile which can be found near freshwater rivers, swamps, marshes, and lakes in the southeastern United States. The once-endangered animal can exceed 10 feet in length and 0.5 tons (1,000 pounds) in weight.

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The animal shown here is a migratory aquatic animal. What is it called?

The gray whale is a migratory whale that can be found in the North Pacific and North Atlantic oceans. Its crusty appearance is due to the parasites and other organisms which make a home on its body. These types of whales can grow to lengths exceeding 40 feet and weights exceeding 35 tons (70,000 pounds).

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Which of these animals can be found in many of the major oceans around the world?

The great white shark, sometimes known as the great white, is a species of mackerel shark which can be found in many of the major oceans. This vulnerable species can exceed 20 feet in length and weigh more than 2.5 tons (5,000 pounds).

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What is the name of the animal which is also referred to as the dromedary?

The Arabian camel, also known as a dromedary, is an even-toed ungulate which is the tallest of the camel species. Its single hump can store up to 80 pounds of fat and gives the camel the ability to travel up to 100 miles without water. They grow to over 7 feet tall at the hump and can weigh up to 0.8 tons (1,600 pounds).

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This endangered species is the largest living primate in the world. What is it called?

The Eastern gorilla is a critically endangered species and the largest living primate. It can be found in the mountainous rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. The animals can be as tall as 6 feet and weigh up to 0.175 tons (350 pounds).

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Which of these animals is also known as the gavial?

The Gharial, sometimes called the gavial, is known for its long and thin snout. It is a critically endangered crocodilian which is native to the Indian subcontinents. The animals can grow up to 15 feet in length and weigh up to 1.1 tons (2,200 pounds).

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One of these animals has been listed as vulnerable due to pollution and being caught in nets. What is it called?

The manta ray is a ray belonging to the Manta genus. The species has been listed as vulnerable due to pollution, and being caught in fishing nets, combined with its slow reproductive rate. Manta rays can have a wingspan exceeding 23 feet and can weigh up to 1.8 tons (3,600 pounds).

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What is the name of the animal which can be found near the Amazon jungle and Orinoco basin?

The green anaconda is the largest snake in the world (in weight) and it can be found in the tropical rainforests near the Amazon and the Orinoco basin. The animals can exceed 30 feet in length and can weigh up to 0.275 tons (550 pounds).

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This animal is one of the largest of its kind and is also called the cachalot. What is it called?

The sperm whale, also called the cachalot, is the largest species of toothed whales found in many of the major bodies of water around the world. The whales can be as long as 50 feet and weigh as much as 45 tons (90,000 pounds).

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Which of these animals can weigh as much as 500 pounds?

The Bengal tiger is one of the largest members of the big cat family and can be found in some of the Indian subcontinents. Its numbers are significantly reduced due to habitat loss, fragmentation, as well as poaching. The tiger usually grows​ between 5 and 6 feet from head to tail and weighs as much as 0.25 tons (500 pounds).

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This apex predator is able to run at speeds exceeding 30 miles an hour. What is it called?

The brown bear is a solitary animal that can be found in the forests and mountains of North America, Asia, and America. These predators are able to run at speeds up to 30 miles per hour, and they are quite dangerous to humans. Brown bears can weigh up to 0.35 tons (700 pounds).

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The largest type of this animal ever caught was over 59 feet long. What is it called?

The giant squid is one of the largest invertebrates on Earth and can be found all over the world. The average weight of the adult giant squid is 0.22 tons (440 pounds), but the largest squid found was over 59 feet long and weighed 1 ton (2,000 pounds).

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