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

By: Khadija Leon
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Identify 40 of the Heaviest Animals in the World?
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!

African elephant
Vicki Jauron, Babylon and Beyond/Moment/Getty Images
Which of these creatures is the largest land mammal in the world?
African elephant
Gharial
Cassowary
Klipspringer
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Whale shark
Colors and shapes of underwater world/Moment/Getty Images
Despite its name, this animal is a docile fish that feeds on plankton. Which of the following is it?
Giant softshell turtle
Bald eagle
Whale shark
Golden eagle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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White Rhinoceros
Shutterstock
What is the name of the animal which can be found​ in Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Kenya?
Proboscis monkey
White rhinoceros
Capybara
Andean condor
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Southern elephant seal
Kelly Cheng/Moment/Getty Images
This animal is the largest in its family. What is it called?
Jacana
Babirusa
Narwhal
Southern elephant seal
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Water buffalo
Da via Wiki Commons
What is the name of the animal which is the largest member of the Bovini tribe?
Stonefish
Antelope
Water buffalo
Biturong
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Alaskan moose
Lance King/Photodisc/Getty Images
The animal in the image is the largest subspecies of its​ kind in North America. What is it called?
Glaucus atlanticus
Fishing cat
Boa constrictor
Alaskan moose
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Hippopotamus
Giampaolo Cianella/Moment/Getty Images
This animal's names comes from the Greek word for "river horse."
Hippopotamus
Leafy seadragon
Warthog
Cockatoo
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Colossal squid
James R.D. Scott/Moment/Getty Images
Which of these animals is the largest invertebrate in the world?
Basilisk
Colossal squid
Zebra
Vulture
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Longcomb sawfish
Superchilumb via Wiki Commons
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?
Brown bear
Platypus
Longcomb sawfish
Caracal
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Asian elephant
Jenner Images/Moment/Getty Images
The animal in the image has an appendage that contains more than 100,000 muscles. What is it called?
Asian elephant
Thorny dragon
Cichlid
Bali myna
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Polar bear
Chasing Light - Photography by James Stone james-stone.com/Moment/Getty Images
Which of these carnivorous animals can be found throughout the Arctic Circle?
Axolotl
Vervet monkey
Crowned eagle
Polar bear
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Giraffe
Shutterstock
What is the name of the animal which is found in the grasslands and savannas of Africa?
Bontebok
Star-nosed mole
Giraffe
Tree pangolin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Giant eland
Nino H. Photography/Moment Open/Getty Images
This large animal has another name besides Lord Derby. Which of the following is it?
Pufferfish
Bat-eared fox
Giant eland
Hamadryas baboon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Orca
Chase Dekker Wild-Life Images/Moment/Getty Images
One of these animals is also known as the killer whale. Which one is it?
Giant isopod
Orca
Dung beetle
Camel
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Ostrich
George Pachantouris/Moment/Getty Images
Which of these animals is able to run at speeds exceeding 40 miles an hour?
Ostrich
Flying fish
Fennec fox
Flamingo
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Blue whale
Leonello Calvetti/Stocktrek Images/Stocktrek Images/Getty Images
The animal shown in the image is the largest animal in the world. What is it called?
Armadillo
Blue whale
African penguin
Agouti
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Yak
© Pascal Boegli/Moment/Getty Images
Because of its long hair, this animal is able to withstand temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius. What is it called?
Saiga
Yak
Flying fox
Galapagos tortoise
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Saltwater crocodile
Hali Sowle Images/Moment/Getty Images
Which of these animals is the largest living reptile in the world?
Mimic octopus
Giant anteater
Pygmy marmoset
Saltwater crocodile
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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American bison
Eastcott Momatiuk/Digital Vision/Getty Images
One of these animals is symbolic of the Great Plains. What is it called?
American bison
Maned wolf
Porcupine
Harpy eagle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Kodiac bear
Hollingworth, John and Karen, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service via Wiki Commons
This animal can be found in an Archipelago near Alaska. What is it called?
Aye-aye
Giant panda
Kodiak bear
Tazmanian devil
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Humpback whale
Wanetta Ayers via Wiki Commons
Which of these animals is known for its complex song?
Tufted deer
Humpback whale
Secretary bird
Coquerel's sifaka
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Cape buffalo
safaritravelplus via Wiki Commons
This animal can be found in different southern and eastern African countries. What is it called?
Polar bear
Octopus
Guenon
Cape buffalo
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Walrus
David Pardoe/Moment/Getty Images
What is the name of the animal which can be found in the subarctic seas in the Northern Hemisphere?
Pink fairy armadillo
Chimpanzee
Walrus
Emu
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Black rhinoceros​
CT Cooper via Wiki Commons
This animal's name indicates the shape of its lip. What is it called?
Lungfish
Black rhinoceros​
African elephant
Rhinoceros
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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American alligator
NNehring/E+/Getty Images
One of these animals can be found near freshwater rivers and marshes in the southeastern United States. What is it called?
Irrawaddy dolphin
Wallaby
Sloth bird
American alligator
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Gray whale
Michael Nolan/Getty Images
The animal shown here is a migratory aquatic animal. What is it called?
Dugong
Gray whale
Kingfisher
Otter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Great white shark
by wildestanimal/Moment/Getty Images
Which of these animals can be found in many of the major oceans around the world?
Echidna
Dhole
King snake
Great white shark
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Arabian camel
Marji Lang/Moment/Getty Images
What is the name of the animal which is also referred to as the dromedary?
Gerenuk
Babirusa
Ostrich
Arabian camel
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Eastern gorilla
guenterguni/E+/Getty Images
This endangered species is the largest living primate in the world. What is it called?
Snow leopard
Eastern gorilla
Lamprey
Guanaco
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Leatherback turtle
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region via Wiki Commons
Which of these animals lacks a bony shell characteristic of the rest of the animals in the family?
Leatherback turtle
Naked mole rat
Iguana
Pancake tortoise
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Manta ray
Steve Woods Photography/Cultura/Getty Images
One of these animals has been listed as vulnerable due to pollution and being caught in nets. What is it called?
Manta ray
Yeti crab
Lemur
Striped hyena
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Bengal tiger
Tom Brakefield/Digital Vision/Getty/Images
Which of these animals can weigh as much as 500 pounds?
Gobi jerboa
Manatee
Nubian ibex
Bengal tiger
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Green anaconda
Tom Brakefield/Stockbyte/Getty Images
What is the name of the animal which can be found near the Amazon jungle and Orinoco basin?
Superb bird of paradise
Orangutan
Green anaconda
Tamandua
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Sperm whale
James R.D. Scott / Moment / Getty Images
This animal is one of the largest of its kind and is also called the cachalot. What is it called?
Blob fish
Sperm whale
Ocelot
Leopard shark
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Giant squid
by wildestanimal/Moment/Getty Images
The largest type of this animal ever caught was over 59 feet long. What is it called?
Marine iguana
Giant squid
Meerkat
Mandrill
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Sturgeon
weisserstier from Wien, Austria via Wiki Commons
What is the name of the animal which belongs to the Acipenseridae family?
Hornbill
Patagonian mara
Sturgeon
Tapir
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Brown bear
Image captured by Joanne Hedger/Moment/Getty Images
This apex predator is able to run at speeds exceeding 30 miles an hour. What is it called?
Japanese spider crab
Andean bear
Brown bear
Dolphin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Asian gaur
AJAY K SHAH/Moment/Getty Images
The animal in the photo is also called the Indian bison. What is its original name?
Red-tailed hawk
Sea cow
Asian gaur
Bonobo
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Gharial
ideeone/E+/Getty Images
Which of these animals is also known as the gavial?
Okapi
Fossa
Gharial
Komodo dragon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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Bateng
Arun Roisri/Moment/Getty Images
Which of these animals is also referred to as the tembadua?
Bateng
Jerboa
California condor
Gelada
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

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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