Whether it’s common house pets like dogs and cats or much more exotic creatures like snakes or tigers, many of us have gotten used to animals being a specific size. Depending on the animal, we have a pretty good idea if they’re small, big, or somewhere in the middle. However, there are always a few exceptions.
It seems that almost every species has that one example that completely defies our expectations. These animals are so big that they make everyone else look teeny tiny in comparison. So, take a seat and relax—we’re about to take a look at some of the biggest animals found all over the world. Did your favorite animal make the cut?
Large and in Charge
No, this picture was not photoshopped, and, no, it is not just an abnormally large horse. In fact, this is a breed of heavy draft horse known as the Ardennes. Originating from France and Belgium, this beautiful breed is one of the world’s oldest draft horses! They have thick, heavy legs, which make them a perfect working horse.
While most horses weigh around 1,000 pounds, an Ardennes average between 1,500 and 2,200 pounds! That’s one massive horse. Despite their size, these beautiful horses are nothing to be scared of. They are actually known for being one of the more docile horse breeds out there. This personality trait makes them a lot easier to train.
Just Wait and See
Little did this puppy’s older sister know that he was going to be triple her size one day! This chunky puppy looked a bit grumpy when he was younger. Maybe it was because everyone kept commenting on how teeny tiny he was. Well, they sure aren’t saying that anymore. Now his older sister has her own bodyguard and a nice snuggle partner.
Both dogs look a lot happier with this new situation, but who wouldn’t be? Alaskan malamutes are one of the best dogs out there. Fun Fact: Malamutes were first created by an Inuit tribe called Mahlemuts in Alaska. The breed aren’t as fast as other sled dogs, but they can travel long distances thanks to their stamina and strength.
A Gentle Giant
Just when you thought you had seen the biggest horse out there, think again. This Belgian Draft horse stands at five feet, six inches, and can weigh up to 2,800 pounds! Like the Trojan horse, you could probably fit an entire Greek army inside this thing!
But despite its size (we sense a trend), this horse is a gentle giant. Although this majestic breed is known for pulling heavy loads and working on the farm, they are actually great riding horses and make excellent companions! Fun fact: The largest Belgian Draft horse was named Brooklyn Supreme. He weighed 3,200 pounds and stood at six feet, five inches! To put his weight into perspective, that’s around the size of a white rhinoceros!
That’s a Good Boy!
“I’m not that heavy! Why can’t I sit on your lap?” This big boy looks a little sad that he can’t sit on his dad’s lap. It even looks like he’s giving his dad the silent treatment for saying no. It seems that almost every big dog has no idea just how big he really is. Can you imagine how loud his barks is? Or how hard it would be to bath him?
It seems that his owners have looked past these disadvantages and we don’t blame them! His fluffiness is too cute to handle. If he were our pup, we’d let him cuddle until our legs fell asleep under his massive weight.
We’ll Call Him Chonkers
Have you ever seen such a round chunky cat before? It looks like he’s big enough to wear children-sized sweaters. That’s an accomplishment! He’s so cute! We just want to give him some love, especially since he looks so warm and cuddly.
We don’t know what kind of breed this is or if he’s supposed to be this big, but it doesn’t matter. His cuteness trumps any questions we may have. He even resembles an anime kitty, especially because of how perfectly round his face is. This picture makes us want another cat!
That’s a Dog?
This dog may look scary and mean, but he’s a good boy with a pretty sad story. He’s a wolfdog, meaning that one of his parents was a wolf, while the other was a domesticated dog (typically a German Shepherd, Alaskan Malamute, or a Siberian Husky).
Sadly, many people think these dogs are cool, but they have no idea how to care for them. That’s precisely what happened to this big guy. His owners dropped him off at a shelter after he got too big for them to handle. But just when everyone thought it was too late for this pup, a wolfdog sanctuary took him in and found him a forever home.
Moo-ve out of the Way!
“There’s nothing to see here! Just a bunch of normal cows doing normal cow things.” Who is this cow kidding? Of course, we can spot him (or her) from a mile away! This massive black and white cow stands at nearly six feet tall, and it stands out from the crowd of short, brown cows like nothing we’ve seen before.
It even looks like the other cows have cleared a path for the gentle giant because they are nervous about getting stepped on. We don’t blame them! Fun fact: Blosom is the name of the tallest cow in the world. She stands at six feet, four inches!
Massive Fur Ball
Look at his little face! Oh, and his cute yellow backpack! We just can’t with this cat. He’s probably one of the cutest we’ve seen in a while. Well, except for that cute, chubby one in a sweater. Who are we kidding? All cats are cute!
This cat’s name is Bone Bone, and he knows that he’s cute. In fact, his owners have created him his very own Instagram page, and he has quite an impressive following. Now people from all around the world can get updates on this beautiful part-Persian cat from Thailand. He sure is a cutie!
The King of All Antelopes
This here is a giant eland, which is the largest breed of antelope on the savanna (well, really, in the world). Not only are these guys massive, but they’re pretty fast as well. In fact, they can run up to speeds of 43 miles an hour, which puts them at a great advantage against predators.
Sadly, humans are one of their greatest predators. They are no longer found in Ghana, Ivory Coast, or in Togo in Africa because of over-hunting. It’s sad that someone would want to hurt one of these precious creatures.
That’s a Housecat?
For those who are wondering if this is a housecat, wonder no longer. This is a picture of a Maine Coon, the largest domesticated cat breed in the world. Males can grow to nearly 20 pounds and 40 inches long (including their tail)! That’s one large housecat!
These cats are so large and in charge that many times their personality is closer to that of a dog than a cat. Fun fact: There are many stories about how this cat came to be. Some people believe it is part bobcat or raccoon, while others believe they were created by Vikings.
The Mighty Toad
We’ve heard of lapdogs before, but we’ve never heard of lap toads! This beefy guy looks like he’s never skipped a day at the gym. He looks a bit mean, but, on the other hand, he’s being held by a human. It’s hard to get a good read on him.
Fun fact: Cane toads produce poison, which was once used by the Choco Indians of Colombia to coat their arrowheads. This poison is known to have a hallucinogenic effect. But don’t get any ideas here! Besides strong hallucinations and well, death, the side effects of this poison are severely weakened muscles and seizures.
That’s a Big Cat
Who knew that housecats could be this big? No wonder the ancient Egyptians worshiped them! These creatures are fascinating. This specific cat’s name is Chronos, which is the name of a three-headed Greek god. No, Chronos is not a Maine Coon—he’s a Norwegian Forest cat.
Have you ever heard of them? Don’t worry. They aren’t very popular here in America, but they do have several loyal fans across the pond in Europe. Fun fact: This breed is known for its long, double-layered coat that repels water. This water-proof coat is what helped these cats survive the long and snowy winters in Scandinavia.
Like Father, Like Sons
This proud pappa looks like he has a mean bark, but he’s just protecting his babies. Look at how cute they are! We just hope the owners leave these puppies’ ears alone. Pitbulls may have a bad reputation, especially since people like to train them for fighting (don’t even get us started on that), but they really are sweet creatures.
Like any dog, they just want and need lots and lots of lovin’. This dad must be proud of himself! His puppies sure are cute! It almost makes us want to get another dog, or two, or five.
He’s on a Diet
Everyone meet Fred. He’s one chunky boy, and people often think that he’s pregnant. But like all of us, he’s just gained a few extra pounds over the holidays. Or he’s had one too many cheat days. While he may be cute with some extra weight, these few extra pounds can actually shorten his life.
Luckily, his owners are aware of this problem and have put him on a diet. What a sweet boy! Like many of the animals on our list, he’s a gentle giant that loves people. In fact, he loves to be scratched near his hips while sitting on your lap.
As Tall as a House
Yes, we know this isn’t technically an animal, but it must have taken days to build this massive snow bear. How did these people collect so much snow? And how did they make it nearly taller than their house? He kind of looks like the Coca-Cola bear.
What a good idea! Maybe we’ll make one the next time it snows, but we doubt ours will be as good as this snow bear. Fun fact: The record for the largest snowman was set in 2008 in Maine. The snowman stood at 122 feet and one inch!
Nutty Squirrels
That’s one massive squirrel. It looks like she’s gaining weight to stay warm for the winter. Food is important for squirrels during the winter months, and they can even smell food under a foot of snow! That’s impressive.
This is especially useful since squirrels have multiple caches of hidden food. However, many times, squirrels forget where they hid their acorns, which results in thousands of new trees every spring. They also lose a lot of their hidden booty to thieves, which many times are other squirrels who are just looking for a free meal.
OMG, It’s Him!
The prophecy has come true. This chubby orange cat has returned to Earth to fulfill his destiny. He may not have black stripes or be walking around the jungle, but the resemblance is uncanny. This cat looks like he has no idea he ended up on the roof.
He also looks mad that no one will help him down. But how will he find food if no one will help him down? This angry cat looks like he’s ready to fulfill his destiny of becoming the supreme leader of cats. All hail, angry cat!
Largest Wombat That Ever Lived
This is Patrick, the wombat. He’s not only the largest wombat that ever lived. He’s also the oldest. The average wombat lives, on average, for around 15 years, but not Patrick! He lived to be 32 years old! That’s impressive. Weighing 88 pounds, he’s also quite large.
You see that his handler even had a hard time picking him up for this picture. These cute and furry creatures are native to Australia, and everyone that stopped by the Ballarat Wildlife Park fell in love with Patrick and his cute personality. Everyone was sad when he passed away in 2017.
Someone Needs a Haircut
Some people think that it’s not good to shear sheep, but they actually need it. Shearing allows them to cool off, especially in the summer months. Not to mention, the extra wool is very heavy. Can you imagine walking around with this much wool on your back? We sure can’t!
Somehow, this fluffy sheep named Shrek avoided shearing for six whole years! How did he do that, you may ask? Well, he ran away and was living in a cave. His owners thought the worst had happened! Luckily, he made it out alive. The only thing he needed was a fresh cut.
Someone’s Been Hitting the Gym
Tigers are already scary. Cute, but scary. Just seeing a picture of this tiger’s muscular arm makes you want to run for the hills. Well, running for the hills isn’t exactly the best idea. This tiger would just want to make a game out of it, and let’s just say, we already know how this game would end.
Fun fact: Unlike domestic cats, tigers actually love playing in the water. In fact, they have been known to swim for hours! One was even reported swimming over 30 kilometers in just one day!
He’s Squishing Me!
Either this rabbit is comforting this little girl after a hard day, or she’s upset because her big bunny weighs too much. It’s hard to tell, but let’s hope for the former. This breed of rabbit is called a Flemish Giant, and it is one of, if not the largest, rabbit breeds in the world.
These creatures can weigh nearly 15 pounds and grow up to two and a half feet. That’s the weight and length of a medium-sized dog! Despite their massive size, these bunnies are adorable and make great pets—if they are properly taken care of.
Real-Life Slobber Machine
If giants were real and had pets, this dog would be the perfect breed for them! Although these dogs are big and probably have a lot of slobber, they are just cuddly pups that have no idea just how large they actually are.
This veterinarian looks tiny next to this massive dog. Can you imagine if he saw a squirrel and suddenly took off running? He may be cute, but we would not want to be the one in charge of taking him for walks and being dragged through our front lawn? No, thank you.
One Massive Bear
It looks like Winnie the Pooh has been bulking up. Besides honey, we wonder what else he’s added to his diet. Well, whatever it is, it sure seems to be working. He doesn’t need help protecting the Hundred Acre Woods because, let’s be honest.
Who would want to cross paths with something this big? We sure wouldn’t. If we saw this bear in the wild, well, we most likely wouldn’t be alive to write this article. Do you think that he’s always this big? Or that he just ate a lot to prepare for the winter months ahead?
Call Me Big Papa
If you thought that last bear was big and scary, look at this guy. Not only does he look bigger, but he also looks like he’s ready to eat one more meal before hitting the hay for the winter. Not gonna lie. It looks like the person who took this picture is that last meal.
Well, on second thought, he doesn’t look like he can run that fast. But if he could roll, it would be a different story. How many fridges do you think he broke into? There’s no way he got this big living in the wild.
Someone’s Having a Party
These sea lions look like they’re having fun partying it up on a sailboat. While this is a pretty funny picture, we do feel bad for whoever owns this boat. It looks like it ended up at the bottom of the ocean once these sea lions were done with it.
Fun fact: Sea lions are very strong swimmers. In fact, they use their powerful flippers to reach nearly 20 miles an hour! Sea lions also have a unique stroke. They use their front flippers for swimming and their hind flippers to steer, earning them the nickname, “Angels of the Sea.”
His Royal Majesty
If there was such a thing as a royal cat family, this fluffy cat would definitely be king. He looks like the wealthy villain in a Disney movie about cats. Is there a movie like that? If not, Disney should look into it.
Every other cat is probably jealous of his beautiful white coat and beautiful green eyes. But as beautiful as he is, we will say that it looks like he’s in need of a bath. Or at least a nice brushing. The fur around his neck and feet looks a little tangled.
An Unwanted Visitor
Imagine this: You’re taking a nice stroll through the woods— maybe contemplating life’s meaning or daydreaming — when suddenly you come across this massive creature! We don’t know what we would do.
Our hearts would be pounding so hard that we wouldn’t be able to think. The mountain lion probably wouldn’t even need to attack us because we would have already dropped dead from a heart attack. Fun fact: These cats have a poor sense of smell, but they make up for it with their 20/20 vision and sheer strength.
That’s One Cell?
No, this is not a large grape. In fact, you’d probably not want to eat one of these. It is Valonia ventricose, more commonly known as bubble algae, which is one of the largest single-cell organisms in the world. Just imagine the mitochondria on this thing!
Does anyone else have a strong urge to pop it? Or is that just us? Fun fact: This big ball of algae is not only popular in the oceans surrounding Japan, but it can be found all over the world. However, it grows best in subtropical areas, such as near Brazil and Florida. Pretty cool, right?
Oh My, How You’ve Grown
What would you do if you saw something like this slithering by? Would you be scared? Or is that just us? I know we’ve looked at some massive lions, tigers, and bears (sorry we couldn’t help ourselves), but this thing gives us the heebie-jeebies.
It looks like it belongs in a monster or alien movie! Jokes aside, this creature is harmless. Some people even keep them as pets, and no, they do not meow like SpongeBob’s pet snail, Gary. Fun fact: the largest snail in the world is called a giant whelk, and it can be found in Australia.
Land Seal or Snowy Dog?
We have no idea why Alaskan malamutes like to tuck their front legs under their bodies, but they all do it. Maybe they’re trying to stay warm? Or that’s just how they sleep? Either way, every malamute we’ve come across likes to lie down the same way.
It kind of makes them look like a giant seal. With the snow on his back, he even looks like a hedgehog. Even though these dogs are built for winter, he sure looks like he’s cold. Someone let him inside and give him a blanket ASAP!
Mother of Dragons
Where is Queen Daenerys when you need her? It looks like this lizard is trying to escape, and who knows what kind of damage he’ll get into once he’s out. If we saw this giant lizard climbing our front gate, we’d run for our lives.
We have no idea why this person stopped to take a picture. This seems to be a reoccurring theme. While these pictures make for a great article, these people need to learn to put their safety first! What kind of lizard do you think this is? An iguana? Can iguanas even get that big? We have so many questions.
A Little Top Heavy
The neighborhood’s gotten a bit dicey, so Baloo here had to muscle up. We sure wouldn’t want to cross paths with this bear. He looks like he’d take us out with one swipe. How many jars of honey do you think he had to eat to grow muscles like that?
Do you think there’s a Planet Fitness or Powerhouse close to him? Come on. This bear must be lifting at least 300 pounds. You can tell this guy never misses an arm or leg day. Do you think he will share his workout routine? We’re also looking to buff up a bit.
Big Coat With Little Legs
This sheep sure looks like he’s ready to be shared. It also looks like he has enough wool for blankets, gloves, coats, and anything else to keep you warm in cold winter months. This sheep looks fluffy as a cloud, but it must feel so good to shed all that extra wool.
He looks massive, but we bet that once he gets a haircut, he probably won’t be that big—fun fact: Most sheep’s wool grows continuously and needs to be sheared annually. The process doesn’t hurt, and it’s good for them.
No More Treats for You!
This big guy may be a lap dog at heart, but he shouldn’t be sitting on anyone! After eating way too many treats, this big dog needs to go on a diet ASAP. It’s nothing against his looks—he’s adorable at any size—but it has everything to do with his health.
Dogs that are overweight don’t live as long. It also very bad for their hips, especially as they get older. But it looks like this big pup doesn’t care. He’s even made himself comfortable right next to the kitchen table. Just in case something falls, this guy will be the first to notice.
I Will Call You Squishy
Did we miss the memo? Did Geiko start paying their spokes-lizard in food? Or did he just let himself go? Maybe it’s just a little bit of water weight. How do you think he crawls up the walls with that many extra pounds?
His feet must be sticky enough that it doesn’t matter. This lizard reminds us of those foam creatures that expand when you put them in water. Remember those? Jokes aside, this little guy is cute. If we came across him crawling near our house, we’d keep him as a pet.
Someone Skipped Leg Day
Guys, look! It’s Pumba. It looks like he found the rest of his family, and they’ve decided to hunt for bugs in the dumpster. Let’s hope that he finds what he’s looking for! Since becoming famous, it looks like Pumba has put in some extra time at the gym.
His arms and back are huge! But like many gym rats, Pumba here seems to have forgotten about leg day. It’s okay, buddy. We all hate leg day, but you have to just push through it. It’ll be over before you know it.
Aren’t Polar Bears White?
Well, we can answer our own question. No, polar bears are not white. In fact, their skin is black, and their fur is transparent. With temperatures rising, a lot of these polar bears are spending more of their time on land, hence why this one is a light shade of brown.
Fun fact: Polar bears are considered marine mammals because they spend so much time in the water. They have the ability and stamina to swim for days and can even smell their prey from a mile away. Pretty cool, right?
On the Hunt
Hide your eggs and hide your hens because their rooster is on the hunt for a new mate. Roosters are already aggressive and scary. Can you imagine coming across this big guy? We wouldn’t want to be on the farm when this rooster gets riled up.
He sure looks like he runs the show. No one can mess with this guy. Looney Toons lied to us. We thought that all roosters were as friendly as Foghorn Leghorn, but apparently not. Fun fact: Roosters are born protectors and will keep the order among hens.
“My Diet Starts Tomorrow”
It looks like this manatee had one too many helpings of pie. Or are they supposed to be this big? We’ve never seen one in person; can someone help us here? Well, if animals in the wild don’t overeat, it’s safe to say that this guy is the perfect weight for his size.
Fun fact: Manatees never leave the water, but they do come up for air every five minutes. Some people believe that manatees are thought to have inspired mermaid legends. These beautiful creatures are also more closely related to elephants than they are to any other creature in the sea.
Oh No, Not These Again!
Remember when the second worst thing in 2020 were giant hornets coming to the States? Did people just forget about these things? Or is it safe to go outside? These giants, Asian murder hornets, can grow up to two inches long and can destroy honeybee hives in under an hour.
Imagine being stung by something like this! In Japan, these hornets kill up to 50 people a year. It makes our body hurt just thinking about it! Let’s hope the beekeepers took care of this problem. We don’t want these hornets showing up anytime soon.