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.
Username: DinRat Published on 2024-12-14 13:13:11 ID NUMBER: 127038
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.
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.
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surface area.[9] With nearly 1.4 billion people as of 2021, it accounts for about 18% of the world's human population. Africa's population is the youngest among all the continents;[10][11] the median age in 2012 was 19.7, when the worldwide median age was 30.4.[12] Based on 2024 projections, Africa's population will reach 3.8 billion people by 2099.[13] Africa is the least wealthy inhabited continent per capita and second-least wealthy by total wealth, ahead of Oceania. Scholars have attributed this to different factors including geography, climate,[14] corruption,[14] colonialism, the Cold War,[15][16] and neocolonialism. Despite this low concentration of wealth, recent economic expansion and a large and young population make Africa an important economic market in the broader global context. Africa has a large quantity of natural resources and food resources, including diamonds, sugar, salt, gold, iron, cobalt, uranium, copper, bauxite, silver, petroleum, natural gas, cocoa beans, and tropical fruit.
Africa
# Country Population
(2024) Land Area
(Km²) Density
(P/Km²)
1 Nigeria 232,679,478 910,770 255
2 Ethiopia 132,059,767 1,000,000 132
3 Egypt 116,538,258 995,450 1174 Democratic Republic of the Congo 109,276,265 2,267,050 48
5 Tanzania 68,560,157 885,800 77
6 South Africa 64,007,187 1,213,090 53
7 Kenya 56,432,944 569,140 99
8 Sudan 50,448,963 1,765,048 29
9 Uganda 50,015,092 199,810 250
10 Algeria 46,814,308 2,381,740 20
11 Morocco 38,081,173 446,300 85
12 Angola 37,885,849 1,246,700 30
13 Mozambique 34,631,766 786,380 44
14 Ghana 34,427,414 227,540 151
15 Madagascar 31,964,956 581,795 55
16 Côte d'Ivoire 31,934,230 318,000 100
17 Cameroon 29,123,744 472,710 62
18 Niger 27,032,412 1,266,700 21
19 Mali 24,478,595 1,220,190 20
20 Burkina Faso 23,548,781 273,600 86
21 Malawi 21,655,286 94,280 230
22 Zambia 21,314,956 743,390 29
23 Chad 20,299,123 1,259,200 16
24 Somalia 19,009,151 627,340 30
25 Senegal 18,501,984 192,530 96
26 Zimbabwe 16,634,373 386,850 43
27 Guinea 14,754,785 245,720 60
28 Benin 14,462,724 112,760 128
29 Rwanda 14,256,567 24,670 578
30 Burundi 14,047,786 25,680 547
31 Tunisia 12,277,109 155,360 79
32 South Sudan 11,943,408 610,952 20
33 Togo 9,515,236 54,390 175
34 Sierra Leone 8,642,022 72,180 120
35 Libya 7,381,023 1,759,540 4
36 Congo 6,332,961 341,500 19
37 Liberia 5,612,817 96,320 58
38 Central African Republic 5,330,690 622,980 9
39 Mauritania 5,169,395 1,030,700 5
40 Eritrea 3,535,603 101,000 35
41 Namibia 3,030,131 823,290 4
42 Gambia 2,759,988 10,120 273
43 Gabon 2,538,952 257,670 10
44 Botswana 2,521,139 566,730 4
45 Lesotho 2,337,423 30,360 77
46 Guinea-Bissau 2,201,352 28,120 78
47 Equatorial Guinea 1,892,516 28,050 67
48 Mauritius 1,271,169 2,030 626
49 Eswatini 1,242,822 17,200 72
50 Djibouti 1,168,722 23,180 50
51 Réunion 878,591 2,500 351
52 Comoros 866,628 1,861 466
53 Western Sahara 590,506 266,000 2
54 Cabo Verde 524,877 4,030 130
55 Mayotte 326,505 375 871
56 Sao Tome and Principe 235,536 960 245
57 Seychelles 130,418 460 284
58 Saint Helena 5,237 390 13
African forest elephants roam the dense rainforests of West and Central Africa where they subsist largely on a diet of fruit. They shape forests by dispersing fruit and seeds, browsing, and creating an extensive trail network.
These tall and stately plants make beautiful borders along fences, at the back of perennial beds to set off other flowers, and as a large patch all on their own. African marigolds (Tagetes erecta) are good for cutting for arrangements with long, sturdy stems and good vase life. They are relatively low-maintenance summer flowers and thrive in hot, dry conditions. Here are a few of the prettiest varieties of African marigolds to try:
The African Striped Weasel is a small and brave creature found across the savannas and forests of Africa. They have a striking striped coat that helps them blend into the background and avoid predators. These nocturnal animals eat small rodents, birds, insects, and fruit.
During mating season, the females give birth to 2-3 blind and helpless babies. These little ones grow up quickly and show the same resilience as their parents.
The African Rock Python is a large snake species native to sub-Saharan Africa, thriving in savannas, rainforests, and marshlands.
They are known for their impressive size; on average, they can stretch up to 11 feet. However, some specimens reached almost 20 feet. Their skin features dark brown blotches on a light brown or olive backdrop, which helps them blend into their surroundings.
African Rock Pythons prey on rodents, monkeys, antelopes, and crocodiles. Their hunting technique involves constricting their prey.
The North African Crested Porcupine is one of the largest rodents in the world. Its black or brown body is covered with porcupine quills that can reach up to 14 inches. It prefers rocky terrain, where it spends most of the day in complex burrows.
While generally peaceful, the Crested Porcupine will fight back when it perceives an immediate threat.
The Cape Porcupine has black quills with white or yellowish stripes, a crucial defense mechanism. It lives in a wide range of habitats across Africa.
While primarily an herbivore, Cape Porcupines also gnaw on bones to supplement their diet with calcium. They are also good swimmers and climbers.
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