Nature’s record GETTING AROUND ANIMAL LIFESPANS TALL AND SMALL

breakers
Some predators achieve astonishing speeds as they attack their Big animals tend to live longer than small ones, and some insects, The smallest animals are microscopic, such as the rotifers that
prey. By contrast, the sloth seems to live its life in slow motion. such as mayflies, survive for just a few hours as flying adults. live mainly in ponds and streams. Other creatures are giants
that tower over all the other animals living alongside them.
Fastest Longest Lives (YEARS)
Some animals are capable of the most amazing feats, OCEAN QUAHOG
moving at extraordinary speeds or producing incredibly
PEREGRINE FALCON BOWHEAD WHALE MOLLUSC 400 Tallest
220 MPH (350 KPH) 211 ALDABRA GIANT 20
loud noises. Others are remarkable for their size—either TORTOISE Giraffe
255
weighty giants or so small that it is difficult to imagine CHEETAH
0 20 ft (6 m)

how their bodies function. Some live to advanced ages, 70 MPH (114 KPH)
ROUGHEYE ROCKFISH 500
while others survive for just a few days. 140

ATLANTIC SAILFISH 16½

62 MPH (100 KPH) 1,000
WEIGHTY WILDLIFE
Most of the heaviest animals, such as whales and giant sharks, PRONGHORN
live in the sea, where the ocean water supports their bodies. 1,500
60 MPH African elephant
(98 KPH) 13 ft (4 m)
66 66
13
2,000
OSTRICH
44 MPH

FEET (FT)
0.5 TON 0.55 TON
(70 KPH) Ostrich
(0.45 TONNES) (0.495 TONNES)
GIANT BARREL 2,500 9¼ ft (2.8 m)
SPONGE Moose
0 31 62 93 124 155 186 217 2,300 7½ ft (2.3 m)
0 198 0 198 MILES PER HOUR (MPH) 10
SALTWATER CROCODILE COLOSSAL SQUID
Slowest Shortest Lives (DAYS)
MAYFLY
66 66 THREE-TOED SLOTH DRONE ANT
1
0.002 MPH 14
13.5 TONS 23.5 TONS (0.004 KPH)
(12.25 TONNES) (21.5 TONNES) 0
GASTROTRICH 30 6½
GARDEN SNAIL 3
0.02 MPH
(0.04 KPH)
0 198 0 198 BEE
60
31
STARFISH
AFRICAN SAVANNA 66 WHALE SHARK
0.05 MPH 90
ELEPHANT
(0.09 KPH) 3
198 TONS
(180 TONNES)
GIANT TORTOISE 120 Man
0.18 MPH
5¾ ft (1.7 m)
(0.3 KPH)
0 198
150
0 0.03 0.06 0.09 0.12 0.15 0.18 0
DRAGONFLY
BLUE WHALE MILES PER HOUR (MPH) 121

NOISIEST ANIMALS JUMPING CREATURES Smallest

The snapping shrimp stuns its prey with the loudest noise Craggy mountain terrain allows the snow leopard to leap huge 1.6
made by any animal, but luckily it only lasts for a split-second. distances to attack prey. Other animals jump to escape danger.
Bumblebee bat
Paper clip 1½ in (4 cm)
1¼ in (3.2 cm)
SNAPPING SHRIMP SNOW LEOPARD 1.2
50 FT (15 M)

INCHES (IN)
BLUE WHALE Moss rotifer Dwarf sphaero
AMERICAN BULLFROG 0.001 in gecko ⅔ in
6½ FT (2 M) (0.005 cm) (1.6 cm)
.8
WATER BOATMAN Paedocypris 
KANGAROO RAT fish ½ in
6½ FT (2 M) Amau frog (1 cm)
HOWLER MONKEY ¼ in
(0.8 cm)
JUMPING SPIDER .4
OILBIRD 2½ FT (0.8 M)

0 100 200 0 15 50 75
0
DECIBELS FEET (FT)

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