The predatory detachment has about 16 families, 280 species. They are distributed almost throughout the world. In ordinary life, it is customary to call predators not only mammals, but also all carnivorous vertebrates.
Carnivores are most often those who hunt other vertebrates. Once among the mammals there were no large predatory animals, but gradually they began to stand out for their size.
The largest land and underwater predators on Earth can weigh up to 100 tons, grow up to 20 m in length. We will describe them in more detail in the article.
10. Andean Condor
The largest flying bird in the Western Hemisphere is Andean Condor. Its wingspan is from 260 to 320 cm. It also has a significant weight: males - from 11 to 15 kg, females from 8 to 11 kg. The length of these birds is from 117 to 135 cm. It can be found in South America, in the Andes.
He has a black shiny plumage, a white collar around his neck, and white feathers on his wings, which are especially noticeable in males. In adults, a neck and a head without feathers, in chicks there is a fluff of gray color there.
This bird is especially impressive when it soars high in the sky, spreading its wings, rarely making a flap. From the ground they rise hard, after a big run. The Andean condor feeds on carrion, in search of food it can cover huge distances, up to 200 km.
9. Lion
10 thousand years ago it was the largest and most widespread mammal. But now their number has decreased significantly. So, if in 1970 there were at least 100 thousand individuals, by 2004 there were already no more than 16.5 - 47 thousand. Most of them live in Africa.
Adult a lion can weigh from 150 to 250 kg, if it is a male, and from 120 to 182 kg - a female. However, they have their own weight record holders. In Kenya, a lion was shot dead, weighing 272 kg. The heaviest lions live in South Africa. But still, the champions are those who live in captivity, because they reach huge sizes.
In the UK in 1970 there lived a lion, whose weight was 375 kg. The body length of this animal is also significant: in males - from 170 to 250 cm, in females from 140 to 175 cm, plus another tail. The largest lion was killed in Angola in 1973, his body length was a record 3.3 m.
8. Tiger
Now there are not so many, only about 4,000 - 6,500 individuals, most of which (about 40%) are Bengal tiger. Hunting them is now prohibited. The mainland is much larger than those that live on the islands.
The largest species of tigers include Amur and Bengal. Their males grow up to 2.3-2.5 m, rare specimens - up to 2.6-2.9 m, if you count without a tail. They weigh up to 275 kg, there are individuals whose weight is 300-320 kg. In nature, the weight is slightly less, from 180 to 250 kg. But there are also champions.
The heaviest Bengal tiger weighed 388.7 kg, and the Amur tiger weighed 384 kg. The height at the withers of these animals is a little more than a meter - 1.15 m. The average weight of the Bengal tiger is 220 kg, and that of the Amur tiger is 180 kg. Females are much smaller in size, weigh about 100-181 kg.
Now tigers can be found in 16 countries, including Russia. Not all of them are huge. The Sumatran tiger, which can be found on the island of Sumatra, is the smallest: the weight of the male is 100-130 kg, and the females are 70-90 kg.
7. Komodo monitor lizard
He is also called giant indonesian monitor lizard or Komodo dragon. This is the species of lizards that can be found on a number of Indonesian islands. Translated from the Aboriginal language, its name means "land crocodile". This is the largest modern lizard, it can grow up to 3 m and weigh about 130 kg.
The Komodo lizard is dark brown with small specks and yellow specks; young individuals have orange or yellow spots on their backs that merge into a single strip on the neck and tail. Their usual size is from 2.25 to 2.6 m in dyne, and their weight is from 35 to 59 kg. Males are usually larger than females.
One of the largest specimens grew to 304 cm, weighed 81.5 kg. The largest lizards in size are those held in captivity. So, in the St. Louis Zoo there lived a chest of drawers with a length of 3.13 m, he weighed 166 kg. Despite these sizes, they are very flexible, can reach speeds of up to 20 km / h. They have strong legs with pointed claws, with which they dig burrows from one to five meters long.
6. Saltwater Crocodile
It is one of the largest reptiles in the world. Males of this crocodile can grow up to 7 m in length and at the same time weigh about two tons. It occurs on a large territory from Sri Lanka to Vietnam.
Just born comb crocodiles weigh about 70 g, their size is 25-30 cm. But already in the 2nd year of life, their length reaches 1 m, and weight - 2.5 kg. Adult males grow 2 times more than females and are 10 times harder. Most of them are 3.9 - 6 m in length, and females - 3.1 -3.4 m. Weight depends on length and age. Adult crocodiles are heavier than young people, even if they do not differ in size.
5. Brown bear
Once upon a time brown bear could be found throughout Europe, but gradually its number decreased. The largest specimens of brown bears live in southern Alaska and the Far East.
If we take average values, the body length of adult males is 216 cm, and weight is 268.7 kg, in females is 195.5 cm, weight is 174.9 kg. There are larger specimens. In the South Kamchatka Reserve, a bear was found weighing 410 kg and with a body length of 249 cm.
4. Polar bear
He lives in the polar regions, his body length is up to 3 m, he weighs up to 1 t. Most polar bears not so large - 450-500 kg - males, 200-300 kg - females, body length respectively 200-250 cm, 160-250 cm.
The largest representatives are found on the Bering Sea. Lives on drifting ice floes. Its main prey is marine animals. To catch them, he sneaks up unnoticed from behind the shelter and stuns the prey, hitting it with a huge paw, and then takes it out on the ice.
3. Great white shark
It is also called cannibal shark. It is found in almost all the oceans of the planet, with the exception of the Arctic. The largest females grow up to 4.6 - 4.8 m in length, weigh from 680 to 1100 kg, some - more than 6 m, weighing up to 1900 kg. Males are not so large - from 3.4 - to 4 m.
The largest specimen was caught in Cuban waters in 1945, its weight was 3324 kg and its length was 6.4 m, but some experts doubt that it was so huge.
2. Killer whale
These are the largest dolphin carnivores. They have a black back and sides and a white throat, above each eye there is also a white speck. Males killer whales grow up to 10 m, weigh up to 8 tons, females - a little less - up to 8.7 m in length.
Each individual killer whale population feeds on certain foods. So those who live in the Norwegian Sea eat herring, while others prefer to hunt pinnipeds.
1. Sperm whale
This is one of the largest, largest toothy whales. Adult males can grow up to 20 m in length and weigh 50 tons, while females - up to 15 m and their weight - 20 tons. These are giants that can grow all their lives: the older sperm whale, the more significant it is in size. The average weight of males is about 40 tons, but individual specimens can weigh up to 70 tons.
Previously, when there were more of these whales, some were about 100 tons in weight. Due to their size in nature, the sperm whale has no enemies. Only killer whales can attack young individuals and females.
But due to the fact that man has long hunted these whales, their livestock has decreased significantly. The exact number of sperm whales is unknown, but scientists suggest that there are about 300-400 thousand.