The 20 Largest Animals in the World

Everyone knows that whales and elephants are large, but what about starfish? We've got rodents of unusual size and dogs so large they could swallow a man whole. Feast your eyes on these 20 beasts that have defied nature.

1. Percheron supreme world champion: This enormous horse stands 19 hands high and is a world champion for good reason.
2. Giant oarfish: These rarely seen fish have washed up on shore, freaking out beachgoers.
3. Japanese spider crab: A fishing staple for Japan, these crabs can weigh up to 41lbs and do serious damage with their claws.
4. Flying fox: This fruit-eating bat is found in New Guinea and is the largest bat on the planet.
5. Trigger the cow: Trigger is 6.5 feet tall, 14 feet long and weighs over 1 ton. He could produce 7,665 Big Macs.
6. This beetle is found in South America, and the titan beetle is second only to the Hercules beetle in size. It can grow up to 6.5 inches.
7. Mekong catfish: These giant fish are found in China’s polluted waterways. They can grow up to 10.5 feet long and feed on the nightmares of children (we can only assume).
8. Macroptychaster sea stars: These giant starfish were found by scientists in Antarctic waters in 2008. We THINK they were heard from again.
9. Nomura’s jellyfish: This jellyfish is found off the coast of Japan and can weigh up to 440lbs. It’s about the same size as the lion’s mane jellyfish, the largest in the world. It’s easy to understand how Japan came up with Godzilla.
10. Giant hog: This wild, giant hog was taken down by an 11 year-old hunter. Think it’s fake? His name was Jamison Stone (the boy, not the hog). The pig weighed 1,051 lbs and measured 9-feet-4 from the tip of its snout to the base of its tail.
11. African goliath frog: You can find these big frogs in Cameroon. They can live up to 15 years and will eat anything: bugs, snakes, other frogs, dreams.
12. Giant huntsman spider: This giant bird-eating spider can be found in Laos and its much bigger than its cousin in Australia (the land of giant, dangerous animals). It spends its time hiding in the dark in caves (and under your bed).
13. Giant freshwater stingray: Otherwise known as nightmare fuel, these monsters can grow up to 1,300 lbs and are actually endangered.
14. Coconut crabs: These aren’t as delicious as they sound. They are actually giant crabs with claws powerful enough to crack coconuts. It is found on islands across the Indian Ocean and parts of the Pacific Ocean.
15. Giant rat: This huge rat was killed in a Bronx, NY Foot Locker back in January of 2012. It looks fake and people should hope it’s fake… but reports seem to indicate this was a real rat that was killed. And it was real big.
16. Flemish rabbits: Flemish rabbits are big, but Sandy is one of the biggest. Here she is with her pet Sheltie.
17. Saltwater crocodile: This is the largest crocodile that was ever captured, over 21 feet long. It was captured alive after a three week hunt.
18. Giant weta cricket: Jiminy Cricket here is only found on a small island near New Zealand (the lesser Monster Island, next to Australia). It’s large enough to devour a carrot. And probably your hand.
19. Chinese giant salamander: This lizard can grow up to 6 ft in length, it’s almost completely blind. It’s also the largest amphibian in the world. you can find them in streams and lakes in China.
20. African giant snail: Escargot? More like escar-NO. This giant snail is found in East Africa and can reach up to 8 inches in length. It’s a nuisance pest of urban areas, and it spreads human disease.
There is no good reason for animals this large to exist, unless it’s to haunt our dreams (which they will). If you’re ever on vacation in Japan or China, it’s probably a good idea to stay out of the waters, unless you want giant jellyfish, salamanders, stingrays or crabs nibbling on your toes.

Sources: viralnova.com, heavy.com

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