Earth’s Heaviest and Longest Animals

by | Jun 13, 2025 | Education

Despite how massive dinosaurs were, the Blue Whale is still the largest animal to have ever existedeven heavier than the biggest dinosaurs, including the long-necked sauropods.

The Blue Whale is the heaviest animal ever, weighing up to 180 tons. But in ancient times, sauropods were a group of giant, long-necked dinosaurs known as the largest land animals to ever live. Species like Argentinosaurus, Patagotitan, Brachiosaurus, and Diplodocus were herbivores that roamed in herds across ancient floodplains and forests. They could grow over 100 feet long and tower above most creatures.

CreatureLengthWeightLived
Blue WhaleUp to 100 ft (30 m)Up to 180 tonsPresent
Argentinosaurus (largest known dinosaur)Estimated 100–115 ftAround 80–100 tons~94 million years ago
  • Sauropod is a dinosaur group (clade) that includes many different species.
  • Within that group, you have different kinds, just like dogs have breeds:
    • 🐾 Argentinosaurus
    • 🐾 Patagotitan
    • 🐾 Brachiosaurus
    • 🐾 Diplodocus
      …and many more.
  • Features: Long necks, massive bodies, long tails, and small heads.
  • Period: Most lived during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

They were herbivorous and roamed in herds across ancient floodplains and forests. Sauropods are often compared with the blue whale, which remains the heaviest animal ever, but sauropods were the largest land animals in terms of both height and weight.

So, while whales dominate in weight, sauropods ruled prehistoric Earth with sheer size. It all depends on how you define “giant” — by weight or sheer size!

Largest Animals On Earth

AnimalTypeMax WeightMax Length/HeightWhere to Spot
Blue WhaleMarine Mammal180 tons (160,000 kg)Up to 100 ft (30 m)Oceans worldwide (Sri Lanka, Antarctica, California)
African ElephantLand Mammal6–10 tons (6,000–10,000 kg)Up to 13 ft tallAfrica: Kenya, Botswana, Tanzania
Whale SharkFish20 tons (18,000 kg)Up to 40 ft (12 m)Maldives, Mexico, Philippines
Gaur (Indian Bison)Land MammalUp to 1.5 tons (1,500 kg)Up to 7 ft tallIndia (Western Ghats, Assam, MP)
Saltwater CrocodileReptileUp to 1.2 tons (1,200 kg)Up to 23 ft (7 m)Australia, Southeast Asia, India
Kodiak BearMammalUp to 1,000 kg (1 ton)Up to 10 ft (standing)Alaska, Russia
Leatherback TurtleReptileUp to 900 kgUp to 7 ftCosta Rica, Andaman Coast, Indonesia
Colossal SquidCephalopod500–700 kg (estimated)Up to 46 ftSouthern Ocean
Green AnacondaReptileUp to 250 kgUp to 30 ftAmazon Basin (Brazil, Peru)
GiraffeMammalUp to 1,200 kgUp to 19 ft tallKenya, Tanzania, Namibia

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