15 Most Powerful Animals in the World

animals are a powerful force some more so than others in fact there are many that could give most humans a run for their money when it comes to bench pressing in the gym while the mother musk oxen keep their calves safe and well fed several are insanely strong and relatively obvious others not so much like the rhinoceros beetle that can lift 850 times its own body weight oh no no number 15 gorillaz you would think that an animal up to nine times stronger than the average male human would be a meat eater at least but you'd be wrong the gorilla predominantly eats plants can you imagine this giant of the forest sitting down to enjoy a generous helping of salad i can't there must be some serious nutrition in plants gorilla strength is not only impressive but also pretty unbelievable in fact experts say that these primates are easily among the 10 strongest animals in the world relative to their size and weight as the largest primates in existence gorillas also have very similar dna to us humans so it's understandable why they capture our interest the way they do even their structure has striking similarities like humans they have two arms and legs with five fingers and toes on each even their facial mapping bears a strong resemblance to ours gorillas are also very intelligent according to the guinness book of records a silverback gorilla can lift up to 815 kilograms of dead weight and can tear down large banana trees just to get to the fruit sounds a little extreme doesn't it before we go on like this video smash the subscribe button and click the notification bell right now or this centipede will crawl on your face when you're sleeping [Music] number 14 tigers tigers are the largest surviving felines in the world and in some cultures they are considered the symbol of strength courage and dignity easily recognized by their dark vertical stripes on orange brown fur with a lighter underside these predators sit at the top of the food chain and normally dine on deer and wild boar most of their natural habitats have been lost due to logging road building and development and with hunters killing them for meat pelt and ingredients in folk remedies it's little wonder why they are believed to be no more than 3 200 tigers left on earth depending on the subspecies tigers live in a variety of environments including arid forests flooded mangrove forests tropical forests and colder areas such as eastern russia and northeastern china wild tigers live in asia and smaller subspecies prefer the warmer climates of india bangladesh nepal bhutan myanmar laos cambodia vietnam malaysia and indonesia all tigers are carnivores and fierce hunters but they're also no stranger to failure figures released by the national geographic indicate they succeed in just 10 of their hunts now that's pretty tough tigers are solitary creatures they are born helpless and blind but within just eight weeks they're ready to learn how to hunt and go out on hunting expeditions with their mom two years later they're off on their own so it's a given that these guys have to be tough they wouldn't survive otherwise number 13 grizzly bears the grizzly bear is a large population or subspecies of the brown bear they predominantly inhabit north america and are every bit as grisly as their name suggests ruthless lethal and unrelenting these big and burly characters can chase yet breakneck speed which is quite surprising given their size in fact they're that fast that they can give the world's fastest sprinter usain bolt a run for his money he has an impressive top speed just shy of 28 miles per hour but according to the best of yellow state park the grizzly could leave bolt in their dust their peak speed has been recorded at 40 miles an hour and it's not only their speed that's impressive it's also their strength not surprisingly these big bears are way stronger than humans most adult females weigh up to 180 kilograms and the males weigh anywhere between 180 and 360 kilograms they're also really tall reaching a crazy 198 centimeters or six feet five inches experts believe they are between 2.5 and 5 times stronger than a person if aggravated these figures are likely to increase tenfold so let's just say that researchers weren't too keen to test that theory they're not picky when it comes to eating either grizzlies will feed on a variety of food of both plant and animal origin and have even been known to eat other bears yes grizzlies are occasionally cannibals and have been spotted eating the carcasses of black bears in canada apparently it's a berry bear world out there who knew number 12 rhinoceros beetles the male beetle has horn-like projections on and around their head hence the name rhinoceros they might be small but research has shown that ounce for ounce the rhinoceros beetle is the world's strongest animal according to the guinness book of world records it can support 850 times its own body weight that's seriously impressive don't you think i couldn't imagine supporting 850 times my body weight could you roger kram a physiologist at the university of california at berkeley was keen to test the theory in his lab to do so he created a weight system that he attached to their backs he discovered they weren't nearly as strong as the guinness book claimed but their stats were still impressive they could carry up to 100 times their own body weight but struggled to move under that load effectively this feat was comparable to a 150 pound man walking a mile with a cadillac on his head it seems pretty ridiculous really this is a beetle that you can find in south america it is really giant cram also found that if these beetles carry 50 of their own weight it's absolutely trivial to them they barely notice in reality the rhinoceros beetle doesn't actually carry heavy loads but they do engage in regular strenuous activity they plow through forest litter to find food and lock horns with their rivals number 11 elephants these giant eating machines can consume as much as 600 pounds of food in a single day they also manufacture a ton of manure and lots and lots of methane gas now isn't that a pleasant thought elephants have been known to feed up to 16 hours a day with a typical adult consuming up to 5 bales of hay and 4.5 to 8 kilograms of grain a day that's a pretty decent diet they stand anywhere between 8 feet to 11 feet tall and weigh upwards of 2.3 tons so it's little wonder their dietary requirements are so large but with this much food you would hope that they had a pretty efficient digestive system unfortunately this is not the case in fact elephants digest their food with less than 50 efficiency couple that with the amount they eat and you can see why they defecate from 12 to 15 times a day dropping up to 250 pounds of manure or more than 40 tons a year that's a lot of poop not only do they eat and poop a lot they are also exceptionally strong because of their size they have a significant impact on the environment they can uproot trees and undergrowth transforming a savannah into grasslands in no time there's some benefit to their destruction however as they dig for water during droughts and this creates water holes for other animals how handy number 10 musk ox this arctic hoofed mammal is part of the bovidae family it spends its days roaming the tundra in russia searching for roots mosses and lichens to eat in winter musk oxen use their hooves to dig through snow to graze on these plants and in the summer they mainly feed near water supplementing their diet with arctic flowers and grasses their long shaggy hair has allowed them to inhabit the frigid temperatures of the arctic where they have lived for many thousands of years the musk ox is well adapted to the cold with its outer hairs covering a second shorter undercoat that provides additional insulation in winter when the temperature improves this undercoat falls out ensuring the poor ox doesn't overheat throughout the warmer months although they are herd animals and prefer to hang out in groups of two or three dozen they have a reputation for being hot tempered on average they can weigh up to 450 kilograms so they are not to be messed with when threatened they get together and circle the predator often charging with their massive bulk and occasionally using their horns to deadly effect unfortunately such defenses haven't proven as effective against human hunters with great numbers of musk oxen killed for their hides and meat today herds in alaska norway and siberia are protected number nine the eagle the eagle is easily one of the strongest birds in the world they are large powerfully built and are capable of ripping flesh from their prey using their large hooked beaks and it's not only their beaks that are capable of inflicting pain their powerful curved claws are lethal this bird of prey is an exceptional hunter using its sharp eyesight to locate its next victim even whilst in full flight the world's largest predatory bird the eagle presents an impressive sight with its powerful wings and enviable strength these birds are so strong they've even been known to carry prey weighing up to four times their own way often considered the king of the skies the eagle is well known for its aggressive behavior it will target ground dwelling mammals and birds by simply swooping down grabbing them and taking off again the poor defenseless creature is pretty much ambushed taken back to a perch and torn apart it doesn't even get a chance to duck for cover now that's rough number eight leaf cutter ant leaf cutter ant is a generic name given to any of 47 species of leaf chewing ants these ants belong to the two genera atta and acro mermax species and are known for their impressive carrying abilities the tropical fungus-growing ants are also known to inhabit south and central america mexico and parts of the southern united states though they bear the name leafcutter they don't actually eat the leaves they cut they take them to their nests where they create what looks like a massive salad bar [Music] the leaves are collected to feed their gardens of decomposing leaves the fungus from these is their food no doubt it's a bit of a mission for these little insects and takes quite a lot of organization in fact the whole process is quite similar to how we humans fertilize our crops each ant has a vital role in the process such as workers and soldiers however there's also a tiny protector this brave insect's job is to protect leaves from parasitic flies and wasps he does this by riding on the leaves and plucking any parasites off leafcutter ants are incredibly hard workers and are able to strip a tree of its foliage in less than 24 hours that's amazing given their size don't you think number seven anaconda these semi-aquatic snakes are native to the tropics of south america they are also some of the largest in the world well known for their swimming ability the anaconda is related to the boa and has a terrifying reputation these giant snakes crush their prey by coiling around their bodies effectively strangling them and breaking their bones according to herpetologist and professor of biology bill hayborne anaconda's coloring and size depends on their species there are four recognized species these are the green the yellow the dark spotted and the bolivian anaconda anacondas don't kill with venom they are constrictors not only are they able to be identified by their color but also their size and geographic range their color palettes also allow them to blend seamlessly with tropical rivers and rainforests ensuring they are kept safe from predators but can also pounce on unsuspecting prey the largest of the four is the green anaconda not only is it the heaviest snake in the world it's also one of the longest stocky and muscular the anaconda thrives in the heat and spends most of its days swimming or lurking in murky sluggish rivers and slow-moving streams if not hunting for prey they might be found sunning themselves on branches hanging over the water it's a tough life isn't it number six dung beetle these beetles have a disgusting diet certainly not one that i would be envious of that's for sure the dung beetle as its name suggests dines on dung or feces now that's gross they roll the dung into round balls and use it as either a feeding source or to live in this just gets worse as well as eating and burrowing in dung a species of these beetles have been crowned the world's strongest insect the dung beetle survives mainly or solely by eating the faces of other animals the male onothophagus taurus can pull 1141 times its own body weight to compare this impressive feat would require a 70 kilogram human to lift 80 tons or six double decker buses these guys really do punch above their weight i can imagine that am of strength probably comes in quite handy when rolling dung balls protecting their mates and fending off potential rivals or predators facts about their amazing strength have been recorded by scientists in several journals in fact many believe it is linked to their love life as the male has to protect their mate from other suitors if another male enters a tunnel already occupied by a rival each uses its immense strength to push the other out as well as protecting the female and her eggs the dung beetle guards the tunnel to safeguard his ongoing relationship with his lady love number five tardigrade did you know that one of the toughest animals on the planet is microscopic the tardigrade measures just half a millimeter long and is a water dweller commonly known as water bears or moss piglets these short plump eight-legged segmented micro-animals can be found everywhere they live in the water layer of mosses and lichens that circle the globe but can barely be seen with the naked eye so what makes them so strong well the tardigrade is truly fascinating and has gained the attention of scientific communities throughout the world with its many intriguing characteristics they are close relatives of arthropods such as insects and crustaceans and among the most resilient animals known to man not only are they exceptionally strong they can survive extreme conditions including radiation boiling liquids and massive amounts of pressure scientists at the national institute of polar research of japan nipr have discovered that a tardigrade survived after being frozen for more than 30 years at the south pole wow now that's something don't you think in order to cope with the cult they're said to enter a state of suspended animation known as cryptobiosis this process effectively reduces or stops all metabolic processes until the conditions return to normal or in this case the weather improves these scientific discoveries have earned this tiny water bear considerable admiration and it's easy to see why number four hippo these semi-aquatic mammals are oddly shaped and considered the second largest land animal on the planet with their large barrel shaped body short legs short tail and enormous head the hippo is easily recognized they have grayish to mud brown skin which fades to pale pink underneath and are native to sub-saharan africa although the male of the species measures around 3.5 meters long 1.5 meters tall and can weigh up to 3 200 kilograms the hippo is predominantly an herbivore and mostly eats the grass surrounding its habitat in fact in just one night they can guzzle down up to 35 kilograms of the stuff and hippos usually live about 50 years they normally occupy rivers lakes and mangrove swamps where territorial males preside over groups of up to 30 females and young hippos they are very protective over their group mourning off rivals by opening their huge mouths and displaying their teeth although stocky with short legs the hippo is a capable runner and can cover short distances quite quickly reaching speeds of up to 30 kilometers per hour they can see and breathe underwater and their oily red liquid sweat helps protect their skin from the sun cool huh number three blue whale the blue whale is the largest animal known to have ever existed on earth blue whales have one of the loudest calls in the animal kingdom even its tongue is huge weighing as much as an elephant can you imagine how big its mouth must be these giant marine mammals can reach a maximum confirmed length of 29.9 meters and weigh as much as 173 tons despite being so large however these massive ocean dwellers mainly feed on small marine life including a tiny shrimp-like animal called krill it's not surprising therefore that they need 36 000 kilograms of this stuff to keep their stomachs full to catch food they dive deep descending to approximately 500 meters below the surface due to their size the blue whale has few predators but attacks by sharks and killer whales have been recorded and many are injured or die each year from impacts with large ships these giants of the deep are also graceful swimmers riding the ocean waves at a relatively sedate 8 kilometers per hour but they can reach speeds of over 30 kilometers per hour when required although very strong and capable of generating really large forces the blue whale is not powerful enough to break free from fishing gear they often become entangled in discarded fishing nets and perish if not released number two saltwater crocodile this enormous reptile is native to the saltwater habitats and brackish wetlands of india's east coast across southeast asia and the sundaic region to northern australia and micronesia the saltwater croc is seriously strong with florida state biology professor greg erickson saying if you bench press a pickup truck then you might have a chance of escaping a crocs jaws apparently it's a one-way street between the teeth and stomach of these characters so it's best to avoid them where you can it's no surprise that a bite from a croc would be incredibly painful but just how hard do they clamp down on their prey according to erickson's research team a 17 foot saltwater crocodile has a bite force of 3 700 pounds as well as tooth pressures of 350 000 pounds per square inch this impressive statistic is the highest bite force ever recorded however estimates surrounding extinct crocs measuring up to 40 feet could have been as high as 23 100 pounds ouch to complete their studies erickson and his team have roped 83 adult alligators and crocodiles and placed a bite force device between their back teeth an engineering calculation was then used to estimate the bite force sounds like pretty dangerous bone crushing work to me imagine getting caught in those jaws number one great white shark this huge shark was made famous on the big screen as the villain in the jaws series which first hit theaters back in 1975. since then they've gained a reputation for being vicious predators but experts believe they're simply misunderstood particularly when it comes to attacks on humans one of the most dangerous and predatory sharks in the world the great white is a species of large mackerel shark that can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans not only are they known for their savage bite they are also very large with females growing up to 20 feet that's one big fish they are also very fast swimming at speeds of over 56 kilometers per hour let's face it you're not gonna outswim these guys in a hurry that's for sure the large bulky fish is shaped like a blunt torpedo with its large pectoral and dorsal fin distinguishing it from other sharks dolphins and whales their strong muscles sharp eyesight and keen sense of smell make them amazing hunters in addition their massive jaws and coarsely serrated teeth are no match for their prey using their 300 teeth they rip their prey into mouth-sized pieces which are then swallowed whole the great white feeds on a variety of small fish large seals and dolphins it wouldn't be hard to guess at some of the most powerful land animals in the world i mean the elephant and the blue whale are a given but what about an insect when comparing power to weight ratio there are some surprisingly muscular bugs out there including the microscopic tardigrade and the rhinoceros beetle who knew also check out our other cool stuff showing up on screen right now see you next time

Channel: The Finest

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Keywords: wild animals, strongest animals, biggest animals, strong animals, dangerous animals, in the world, most powerful animals, dangerous creatures, most dangerous animals, most dangerous, interesting facts, deadly animals, wild animal, ever existed, most powerful, most dangerous animal, discovery channel, amazing facts, animal bite, biggest animal, dangerous animals documentary, Powerful Land Animals, Land Animals, Rhinoceros

Id: 6R9RxEF4bbU

Length: 26min 0sec (1560 seconds)

Published: Sun Aug 02 2020