The rhinoceros beetle is also called the elephant beetle, Atlas beetle, or Hercules beetle. Rhino beetles are among the largest species of beetles in the world. They can grow to about 6 inches. Rhinoceros beetles have two horns3, one on the head and the other just below the head.
The rhinoceros beetle can pull objects 30 times their body weight without slowing down. That's the same as an average human carrying a rhino, as if they picked up a piece of paper.
Some rhino beetles have the strength to carry 850 times their body weight, which helps the rhinoceros beetle claim the title of the world’s second-strongest insect.
Username: DinRat Published on 2024-12-14 13:07:37 ID NUMBER: 127036
Grizzly bears are known to break down car and house doors like there's nothing to it. They are one of the strongest land animals. Grizzly bears have massive bodies, can grow as tall as 8 feet, and weigh 900 pounds.
A grizzly bear preys on big animals like cattle, caribou, and black bears. It also feeds on fish, berries, fruits, nuts, and roots. Grizzly bears routinely lift huge rocks and logs out of their way in search of food. They are not good tree climbers, but they run fast, covering 35 miles in one hour.
In 2006, researchers at Montana State University experimented to test the strength of grizzly bears. They found that one grizzly bear had the strength of 2 to 5 humans. Sam the bear easily lifted a 700 pounds dumpster can and, with one paw, turned over a 675-pound stone.
Elephants are the largest land animals in the world, and African elephants are bigger than Asian elephants. Two species of African elephants exist African forest elephants and African bush elephants. The bush elephant is the larger of the two.
Adult African bush elephants can weigh 18,000 pounds and stand at a shoulder height of 13 feet. They are considered the strongest land animal and strongest mammals in the world by pure strength. An African bush elephant can lift a 250 kg object with just its trunk.
Despite their enormous size, elephants are agile and can run as fast as 40 miles per hour. They can also walk long distances and cover 25 to 195 km per day in search of food and shelter. Read more about these amazing majestic animals in our elephant facts.
Dung beetles feed on animal poop and use it to build their homes. With their powerful hind legs, a dung beetle pushes its dung balls, which can sometimes be as large as apples. Considering that the body size of a dung beetle varies from 0.2 to 1.2 inches, that is some heavyweight.
There are many species of dung beetles. In 2010, the Royal Society Journal B published a study that crowned the horned dung beetle5 as the world's strongest insect.
The extraordinary strength of this dung beetle species comes from its ability to pull loads up to 1,141 times its own weight. That is like an average human lifting two 18-wheeler trucks.
For more reading, explore more dung beetle facts. And noting that these little creatures aren't exactly the prettiest, you might also like our compilation of the world's ugliest animals, which we love despite their appearances.
The rhinoceros beetle is also called the elephant beetle, Atlas beetle, or Hercules beetle. Rhino beetles are among the largest species of beetles in the world. They can grow to about 6 inches. Rhinoceros beetles have two horns3, one on the head and the other just below the head.
The rhinoceros beetle can pull objects 30 times their body weight without slowing down. That's the same as an average human carrying a rhino, as if they picked up a piece of paper.
Some rhino beetles have the strength to carry 850 times their body weight, which helps the rhinoceros beetle claim the title of the world’s second-strongest insect.
The tiger is the biggest member of the big cat family and one of the world's strongest animals. The Siberian tiger is the largest tiger subspecies; it measures about 13 feet in total length and weighs up to 660 pounds. A male Bengal tiger can weigh between 300 to 600 pounds and be as long as 7.2 feet–tail excluded.
Tigers typically prey on fairly large animals like deer but occasionally attack rhinos, buffaloes, and elephants. A tiger's bite force per square inch is over one thousand pounds2, much more than a lion's. Tigers have killed humans and other apex predators with just one paw swipe.
The harpy eagle (also featured in our list of animals that start with H) is the most powerful bird of prey in the world. The bald head eagle is its closest competition for the world's strongest bird. Harpy eagles are 3 to 3.5 feet long, with a wingspan of 6.5 feet. They weigh about 9 to 20 pounds.
Harpy eagles fly easily in their canopy habitat in pursuit of prey. They prey on snakes, monkeys, macaws, sloths, and other large tree-dwelling animals. The legs of the harpy eagle are as thick as a human, and its four-inch talons are the same size as that of a grizzly bear.
Saltwater crocodiles are the largest reptiles on earth and one of the strongest animals in the world. These large reptiles can grow to 23 feet and weigh over 2,200 pounds. They are opportunistic feeders and will prey on large and small animals, from sharks to water buffaloes and birds.
The bite force of a saltwater crocodile is 3,700 psi, much higher than the very strong bite of a tiger. An adult saltwater crocodile has 66 teeth that can grow to about 5 inches long. Saltwater crocodiles combine their powerful bite with drowning to incapacitate their prey quickly6.
A gorilla is the largest primate and another of the strongest animals in the world. Scientists recognize two species and four subspecies of gorillas; all species live in the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. Male gorillas can be 5.7 feet tall and weigh 606 pounds in captivity and 396 pounds in the wild.
Gorillas have imposing not only stocky bodies but also long, strong arms. Their arm span is longer than their standing height. Although gorillas are herbivores, their bite force of 1,300 psi can do serious damage in a fight with other animals.
There is currently no extensive research on how strong a gorilla is. But most authorities say an adult gorilla is about 4 to 9 times stronger than one human.
For more reading, our rundown of the different types of monkeys further explores the primate world, although the gorilla is technically an ape rather than a monkey, as they don't have tails.
White rhinos are the largest rhinoceros species and one of the strongest animals on land. This powerful animal can weigh up to 7,936 pounds. The average head and body length is 12 feet, and the shoulder height is 9 feet.
Most rhino species have two horns on their head; the first one is longer than the one behind it. The longest recorded rhino horn was about 65 inches long.
White rhinoceros can run at a speed of 24 km per hour. When provoked, they charge at speeds of up to 40 km per hour; that's the speed limit for vehicles in most urban residential areas.
An ox is a domesticated and castrated male cattle. Oxen are docile, but they are a top contender for the strongest animal in the world. Humans have used this immensely powerful animal as a draft animal for over 6,000 years.
They run at a top speed of 26 km per hour, and an ox can weigh up to 3,000 pounds. Oxen can pull heavy loads like carts, plows, and wagons. They also used them to turn-milling stones. Those are no small feats, considering that oxen can work for 5 hours or more each day on any of those tasks.
The jaguar is one of the strongest animals in the world. It is one of the big cats strong enough to kill other apex predators across its huge range in Central and South America4. Adult males can weigh 350 pounds and grow up to 9 feet long.
The bite force of a jaguar is 1,500 psi. That is enough force to break through turtle shells, cut through crocodile skin and crush human bones. Jaguars can run at a speed of 80 km per hour. They will hunt almost any animal, even those twice their own body weight.
A tiny ant may not seem qualified to be one of the strongest animals in the world. But it is possibly the strongest insect in America. There are over 39 species of leafcutter ants.
To produce their food, leafcutter ants cut leaves and flowers and feed them to fungi, which they then eat. Leafcutter ants have a tiny body mass but are very powerful. Leafcutter ants carry leaves and flowers about 50 times their body weight. That’s like a human carrying a truck.
Honey badgers are not the strongest animals in the world in terms of size or pure force. They weigh just 30 pounds and have an 11-inch shoulder height. However, these temperamental animals are unafraid to take on larger animals, including lions.
They eat honey, berries, vegetables, monkeys, and poisonous snakes. Their skin is both thick and loose. The thickness protects them from predator bites and bee stings, while the looseness allows them to twist their way out of a predator's grip.
The honey badger is possibly the toughest animal in the world. It is largely resistant to snake venom.
The hippopotamus is one of the most dangerous animals in the world. They compete with the rhino for the second largest land animal after the elephant. Male hippos are about 5 feet tall, 16 feet long, and weigh 9,920 pounds.
Hippos have wide mouths that can open to almost 180°. Their lower jaw has two sharp canines that can grow to about 20 inches. The powerful jaws of hippos have 1,800 per square inch of force in a bite. One bite can cut a human body into clean halves.
The hippo runs quite fast for its body weight at speeds of up to 22 miles per hour.
The green anaconda is the animal in the world with the most deadly hug. The snake is feared for its incredibly powerful squeeze that suffocates and breaks the bones of its prey. Green anacondas eat prey as big as wild pigs, tapirs, and jaguars. They swallow the dead prey whole and then stay for weeks without food.
A green anaconda can grow up to 30 feet with a 12-inch diameter and weigh 550 pounds. They are the largest snakes in the world. South America's green anacondas are adept swimmers who spend most of their lives in water.
The rhinoceros beetle is also called the elephant beetle, Atlas beetle, or Hercules beetle. Rhino beetles are among the largest species of beetles in the world. They can grow to about 6 inches. Rhinoceros beetles have two horns3, one on the head and the other just below the head.
The rhinoceros beetle can pull objects 30 times their body weight without slowing down. That's the same as an average human carrying a rhino, as if they picked up a piece of paper.
Some rhino beetles have the strength to carry 850 times their body weight, which helps the rhinoceros beetle claim the title of the world’s second-strongest insect.
The rhinoceros beetle is also called the elephant beetle, Atlas beetle, or Hercules beetle. Rhino beetles are among the largest species of beetles in the world. They can grow to about 6 inches. Rhinoceros beetles have two horns3, one on the head and the other just below the head.
The rhinoceros beetle can pull objects 30 times their body weight without slowing down. That's the same as an average human carrying a rhino, as if they picked up a piece of paper.
Some rhino beetles have the strength to carry 850 times their body weight, which helps the rhinoceros beetle claim the title of the world’s second-strongest insect.
White rhinos are the largest rhinoceros species and one of the strongest animals on land. This powerful animal can weigh up to 7,936 pounds. The average head and body length is 12 feet, and the shoulder height is 9 feet.
Most rhino species have two horns on their head; the first one is longer than the one behind it. The longest recorded rhino horn was about 65 inches long.
White rhinoceros can run at a speed of 24 km per hour. When provoked, they charge at speeds of up to 40 km per hour; that's the speed limit for vehicles in most urban residential areas.
The helmeted hornbill is one of the weirdest animals common in Southeast Asia. The bird has black wings with white tips, a black back, a white belly, and white legs. Its most bizarre feature, wrinkled throat patch, is creamy white in females and deep scarlet in males.
It has a casque on its upper jaw. It is different from other hornbill species. Its casque is harder and heavier and used for combat. It uses its helmet to fight for territory and foraging. Helmeted hornbills fight by ramming their casques together like a big-horned ram. The winner accesses rare nesting cavities and figs from their favorite trees.
White rhinoceroses, also known as Square-lipped Rhinoceroses, rank among the largest land mammals. Their substantial weight can range from 2,200 to almost 8,000 pounds.
Plate-like folds complement their thick, pale grey skin. This density is clearly noticeable and quite impenetrable. They also sport a long neck with a hump, two uneven horns, a small set of eyes as compared to their body size, and a square-shaped lip.
Interestingly, the term "white" in their name is a misunderstood translation of "wide" in reference to their broad mouths.
They are native to the vast regions of southern Africa. However, now, their presence is limited to certain areas. While the Northern White Rhino subspecies was once found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Southern White Rhino subspecies is more spread across regions like Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe and protected areas like Kruger National Park.
They have a long gestation period spanning approximately 530 to 550 days. Consequently, their breeding interval lasts long, ranging between 2.5 to 3 years.
These types of rhinos are herbivorous, primarily consuming thick bush covers and short grasses. They play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and preventing wildfires. However, their existence is threatened due to high poaching activity, fueled mainly by illegal rhino horn demand in Southeast Asia.
The number of white rhinos could decline drastically without substantial conservation measures. Hence, the status of this African rhino species is pegged as Near Threatened.
Unfortunately, the Northern White Rhino subspecies are critically endangered1, with unconfirmed reports of surviving members in remote areas of South Sudan.
The Black Rhinoceros is widespread in southern and eastern Africa, effortlessly adapting to grasslands, deserts, and tropical forests.
The African rhinos' general skin color is grey, with some variance to yellow-brown or dark brown. Distinctively, the color tends to match the soil of their individual habitats. Apart from short, fringe-like hair on their ears, the rhino's skin is largely hairless.
In terms of size, males typically exceed females, with an average weight scale tipping between 1,700 and 3,000 pounds. This robust animal brandishes two uneven horns, with some showcasing a small third horn at the posterior.
Unlike the previously mentioned species, Black Rhinos have a pointed, prehensile upper lip that facilitates the feeding process. They leverage this advantage while browsing for their diet, primarily consisting of twigs, woody shrubs, and small trees.
Notably, the Black Rhino forms a mutualistic association with the oxpeckers. The bird not only feeds on the parasites on the rhino’s skin but also warns of incoming predators.
Unfortunately, the Black Rhinoceros is listed as Critically Endangered owing to heavy poaching for rhino horns in the late 20th century4, despite better protection and management. However, numbers have improved since the mid-90s.
The Indian rhinoceros, widely recognized as the Greater One-horned Rhino, resides primarily in the damp alluvial plains of northern India. Wallows and river dips form part of their daily routine. At the same time, dry savanna grasslands and eastern Himalayan deciduous forests serve as additional habitats.
The Indian Rhino has gray-brown skin that folds around its hind and front legs. Thanks to the single horn atop its snout, it can be spotted from a mile away, distinguishing it from its African counterparts.
As generalist herbivores, an Indian rhino's diet revolves around grasses. Still, they are open to branching out to fruits, flowers, twigs, and even grains like rice.
Strict protection and habitat management have recently allowed their population to increase slowly. However, 70% of the rhino population lives in Assam's Kaziranga National Park. A single disaster in this area could be devastating. Thus, Great One Horned Rhinos are a vulnerable species.
The Javan rhinoceros, commonly known as the lesser-one-horned rhino, presents quite the ecological conundrum. Historically native to Southeast Asia, their modern populace is resigned to the confines of Java's Ujung Kulon Nature Reserve.
Critically endangered, the rhino population is at an estimated 683, with only a third considered reproductive. This decline links directly to the rising demand for their horn for traditional medicine.
Another contributing factor is habitat loss, led by human encroachment. Equally damaging is the proliferation of the local langkap palm, stifling the growth of the rhino's food plants.
Javan rhino sports the smallest horn of its genus, a mere 10-inch protrusion in males, while females do not have them at all. Its distinct grey hide is characterized by sectional creases stemming from rigid folds.
Primarily a herbivore, Javan Rhinos do not eat grass but prefer softer vegetation, preferring figs and guest-tree plants.
Our last type of rhino is the Sumatran rhinoceros, also known as the Hairy Rhinoceros. It was historically found in regions spanning from Assam, Burma, and Indochina to Malaysia, northern Sumatra, and northwestern Borneo. Today, it only resides in national parks in Sumatra and Malaysia.
It has fringed ears, two horns, reddish-brown skin cloaked in long hair, and distinct wrinkles around its eyes. The dense hair aids in layering mud on the rhino's skin, forming a natural cooling system in hot weather.
The Sumatran rhino is also the smallest of the rhinoceros family, weighing between 1,300 to 2,200 pounds. These two-horned creatures have an adaptive dietary habit. They are generalist herbivores, feeding primarily on leaves and twigs from saplings and small trees.
Unfortunately, the Sumatran Rhinos are critically endangered2. Habitat loss due to encroachment, poaching, human disturbance, and habitat fragmentation has led to an 80% reduction in population over the last three generations.
Today, less than 30 mature individuals are estimated to exist, with a projected probability of extinction at 90% within three generations without proactive interventions.
September 22 is World Rhino Day, an annual commemoration of the five species that share our planet - the Black, White, Indian, Javan, and Sumatran rhinos.
This event reminds us of these creatures' challenges, including habitat loss and poaching. More importantly, it encourages collective action to save these vital members of our global ecosystem.
Not only about rhinos, but this day also catalyzes necessary conversations about biodiversity, underscoring the invaluable role each species contributes to our ecological balance.
From 2007 to 2016, more than 7,000 African rhinos have been lost to poaching for the illegal wildlife trade1. This demand depends on the unproven health benefits of a rhino horn, perpetuating a cycle threatening rhino populations.
According to the 2022 State of the Rhino Report by IRF4, there are less than 27,000 rhinoceros left in the wild. Here is the breakdown for each species:
Javan Rhinos - 76
Sumatran Rhinos - 80
Black Rhinos - 6,195
Greater One-horned Rhino - 4,014
White Rhino - 15,942
In 2011, IUCN declared the Western black rhino subspecies extinct after extensive searches in northern Cameroon.
