We all love amazing record-breakers—whether it's the fastest shark, the hairiest mammal, or the loudest animal. Have you ever heard of a hummingbird with a beak longer than its body? Or a koala that sleeps for 22 hours a day? This article compiles some of our favorite record-breaking species; let's get to know some of the most impressive record-breakers in the animal kingdom.
1. What is the smallest cat in the world?
The rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus) and the black-footed cat (Felis nigripes) are vying for the title of the world's smallest kitten. Each is the smallest species on its continent—the rusty-spotted cat of Asia and the black-footed cat of Africa. Both species are believed to be primarily nocturnal and feed mainly on small mammals and vertebrates such as birds.
2. What is the largest snake in the world?
This honor is bestowed upon the reticulated python, a non-venomous snake species found in South and Southeast Asia. The longest ever recorded was 10 meters, discovered in 1912, while the longest in captivity was a female in the United States, measuring 7.67 meters. As the world's longest snake, the reticulated python feeds on a variety of mammals and birds. Unfortunately, there have been instances of humans being caught and eaten.
3. What is the strongest bird in the world?
If you thought this honor would be bestowed upon a powerful member of the eagle family or the world's largest living bird, the ostrich, that would be understandable. But incredibly, the crown of the strongest bird has fallen to the black lemur.
4. Where was the world's first botanical garden?
The Pisa Botanical Garden, established by the University of Pisa in 1544, was the world's first botanical garden. However, it underwent expansion and relocation in 1563. The oldest and best-preserved section is the Orto botanico di Padova, founded a year later in the town of Padua in the Venetian Republic (now part of Italy).
5. What is the world's largest frog?
The world's largest frog species is aptly named the giant bullfrog, also known as the giant slipper frog or giant bullfrog. Native to Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon, it can reach 32 centimeters in length and weigh up to 3.25 kilograms. Despite its enormous size, it is not superior to other frog species. On the contrary, its tadpoles are the same size as those of ordinary frogs.
6. What is the oldest known wild bird?
This is widely believed to be a rather striking Lessan albatross, known as "Wisdom," living in Midway Atoll in the North Pacific. She was first tagged in 1956 and is believed to be 70 years old by 2021 (she may be older). Albatrosses lay only one egg per successful mating season; Wisdom is thought to have laid up to 36 offspring in her lifetime.
7. What is the bat that flies the farthest?
This honor was awarded to a female Nathusius's Pipistrelle, who recently flew from London to the Russian village of Morgino, a distance of 2,018 kilometers, setting a new British record. This is one of the longest known bat migrations in the world and the farthest known migration from Britain across Europe. The bat weighs only 8 grams, and despite her tremendous effort, she was bitten by a cat.
8. Which animal sleeps the most?
Koalas. These Australian marsupials are known for their balanced diet of eucalyptus leaves. Because the plant is low in nutrients and high in toxins and fiber, it requires a lot of energy to digest. Therefore, koalas spend most of their day (18-22 hours) nodding in the air. Eating, sleeping, repeating. Sloths are also notoriously lazy, typically sleeping 20 hours a day—and like koalas, they feed on leaves (although their leaf diet is more diverse than koala diets) and are low in calories.
9. What is the animal with the most fur?
The hero among hairy animals is the sea otter. According to a 2010 study, a sea otter's fur contains 100-160,000 hairs per square centimeter (an adult sea otter may have more than 1 billion hairs in total). Sea otters lack insulating blubber, so their thick, waterproof fur is an important asset for living in the cold waters of the North Pacific.
10. Which mammal has the most names?
That's the cougar, which reportedly has over 40 English names. You may have heard of the mountain lion, the cougar, and the black panther. Less well-known are its nicknames: "cat tit," "painter," and "mountain screamer." These titles likely reflect the cougar's wide distribution—it can be found from northern Canada to southern Chile.
11. Which bird has the largest beak?
The toucan is relatively small for its size, with its magnificent beak taking up a third of its body surface area. However, when it comes to the longest beak relative to its body size, that honor belongs to the sword-billed hummingbird. This bird's beak can reach about 12 centimeters in length, longer than its body, allowing it to access nectar from the longest and thinnest flowers that other hummingbirds cannot reach.
12. What is the fastest shark?
That's the shortfin mako shark, capable of speeds exceeding 70 kilometers per hour. Known as the peregrine falcon of the sea, it thrives in fast-paced swimming thanks to its torpedo-shaped body and powerful tail, which propel it through the water. Its skin is also covered in scales called small teeth, which reduce drag. Adults have no known predators, which isn't a bad thing, as they'll swim faster than any predator anyway.
13. What is the world's largest owl?
This title belongs to the Blackstone Fish Owl. Adult males weigh about 3.5 kg, while slightly larger females can reach 4.6 kg. However, even more impressive is the owl's wingspan, which can reach 200 cm. It is distributed in China, Japan, and Northeast Asia, and as its name suggests, it preys on fish in rivers. On the other end of the scale is the Elf Owl, which is about the size of a jar of beans.
14. What is the largest terrestrial mustelid?
This title belongs to the strong and solitary wolverine, which lives in the northern United States, Canada, and Europe, and can grow to over a meter in length. Wolverines are omnivorous and scavengers, feeding on a variety of foods such as bird eggs, berries, and rodents. They are even known for hunting deer! Appealing nicknames include skunk bear and glutton. The scientific name *Gulo gulo* is an example of a synonym where the genus and species names are the same.
15. What is the loudest animal in the world?
Blue whales hold the world record for the loudest call, reaching up to 180 decibels, the same volume as a jet engine. They communicate through low-frequency groans and roars, sounds that travel farther than any other call in the animal kingdom—across oceans for thousands of kilometers.
16. What is the world's largest freshwater fish?
Until recently, this record was held by a giant Mekong catfish, but in June of this year, a Cambodian fisherman caught a female giant freshwater stingray and claimed the title. She measured 3.98 meters in length (including her tail), 2.2 meters in width, and weighed 300 kilograms. Named "Boramy," meaning "full moon" in the local Khmer language, she was tagged and released back into the river.
17. What is the fastest snake in the world?
This title belongs to the black mamba, a snake that lives in the dry jungles of East Africa and is known for its neurotoxic venom. The black mamba is primarily a terrestrial species, reaching lengths of up to 4 meters. Records indicate that black mambas can walk at speeds of up to 15 kilometers per hour in open terrain.
18. What is the smallest snake in the world?
The title of the world's smallest snake belongs to the thread snake, a group of earthworm-like reptiles that prey on ant and termite larvae. The smallest of these is likely the Barbados thread snake (Tetracheilostoma carlae), which is no more than 10 centimeters long and as thin as spaghetti. Smaller snakes tend to be shorter and fatter than larger ones, but the thread snake defies this trend, likely due to its burrowing lifestyle.
