- [Narrator] Horns are an undeniably fascinating creature feature. Their sharp points and dangerous curves never fail to let you know exactly which end of the animal is dangerous. And the bigger they are, the
more intriguing they can be. But we're not talking about nanny goats and old MacDonald's cows here. From curly crowns and girthy gizmos to unbelievably long lances, get ready to witness
some of the hugest horns in the animal kingdom. (upbeat music) Stunning Saiga. Native to the dusty plains of
Kazakhstan, Russia, Mongolia, and occasionally Uzbekistan
when they migrate, the Saiga is an utterly bizarre and delightful-looking
subspecies of antelope. And at first glance, the only thing that outshines
those wonderfully weird horns is that fleshy, double-barrelled nose. They use this wobbly snout to
filter out dust from the air during the dry summers
and warm up cold air before it enters their
lungs in the winter. But it's those strange,
almost carrot-shaped horns, which only the males have, that
really make them stand out. These can reach a huge 15 inches long, making them about the same
height as a bowling pin. Sadly, these unique
horns have made the males of this species a huge
target for poachers. Although they've been
hunted for centuries, the males have been relentlessly
poached in recent years. And with so few males left in the wild, the Saiga's birth-rates
have drastically dropped, leaving the species critically endangered. But what is it about their horns that makes them so alluring to poachers? Well, astoundingly, a
single pair can be sold for a whopping $1,000 on the black market. Often, they're shaved up and used in traditional Asian medicines to treat common ailments,
like fevers and sore throats. I mean, what's so wrong with
popping a couple of Nurofen? Anyway, when they're not
being ground into dust, Saiga use their horns for rutting. This is when males fight
for the right to breed with the females, although it often comes with
some lethal consequences. A fatal 50-70% of challengers
perish during these fights, leaving the winner surrounded
by dozens of adoring does. And I thought I had a hard time
trying to get a girlfriend. Yikes! Spectacular Scimitar-Horned Oryx. You might never have
seen, or even heard of, the Scimitar-Horned Oryx before now. But that's not because you
missed some kind of memo, it's because they're almost extinct. This species of large antelope is native to the boarders
of the Sahara Desert, and has a distinctively
straight set of horns that, like their name suggests,
resemble sharp scimitar blades. Even though it stands at an
average of just 3.3 feet high, it's huge horns can reach
almost four feet long. They grow without any major curls straight out of the back of their skulls, which is something the ancient
Egyptians took advantage of around 5,000 years ago. You see, the Scimitar-Horned
Oryx were once domesticated by these ancient rulers, who would bind the oryx's horns together so that they'd grow and
intwine into a single horn. I guess that would have made them look a bit like unicorns, right? Well, brace yourself for this. Experts believe that
this is where the origins of the common unicorn myth really began. Like building the pyramids wasn't enough. Sadly, its magical looking
horns are also the reason why the Scimitar-Horned Oryx almost became as
non-existent as the Unicorn. Poachers looking to sell
those handsome horns gradually picked them off one by one, until they were all but extinct in the wild by the year 2000. Fortunately, around
10,000 of them were saved through hunting-driven
conservation ranges in Texas, as well as many more in zoos
and reserves around the world. With any luck, over the next few years, we might see this African Unicorn make a magical return to the wild. But you know, you can help
save the Scimitar-Horned Oryx. Yes, you. All you have to do is hit those
like and subscribe buttons, and you'll be helping raise awareness of the plight of this real-life unicorn. Although, it's not just
them that need your help. So, hit those buttons now if you ever want a chance of seeing more of these brilliantly
horned beasts in the wild. Amazing Markhor Goats. Now, I did promise no nanny goats, but with its Merlin-esque
beard and towering horns, the Markhor goat looks
more like an evil wizard than a nanny. Sometimes called the screwhorn, thanks to the spectacular
spirals on top of its noggin, this goat lives among the
mountains of Central Asia. During the summer, they can be found at amazing
altitudes of up to 13,000 feet while they forage for
nutrient-rich grasses. But in the winter, they
move down the mountainside to around 1,600 feet
to avoid the deep snow. They're perfectly adept
at climbing craggy rocks thanks to the wide set of their hooves, which help them balance on
almost any uneven terrain. But as high as they can climb, they can't escape human hunters. They've been prized for
their horns and fleece for hundreds of years, and
as such, it's estimated that there are no more than
2,500 Markhors left in the wild. Though they're not big targets, as they only reach about 3-3/4
of a foot at the shoulder, their horns, on the other
hand, or should I say hoof, can grow up to 5.3 feet in length, making them nearly two feet
longer than the Markhor is tall. Both males and females sport these tightly corkscrewed horns, but the females' are much smaller, with most barely able
to reach 10 inches long. Although, when it comes
to the laws of nature, it's not much of a surprise to learn that the males are
hornier than the females. Jacked Jacob Sheep. Now, these sheep may not have the largest horns of any species, but they certainly have some of the most. Jacob Sheep are a British
breed of piebald sheep which class as a polycerate. That's an animal with many horns for those of us who don't
speak fluent biology. While they commonly sport four horns, they can have up to 6 bony spikes poking out of their skulls. And that's not by mistake. This now-domestic breed of
sheep comes from a primitive and prehistoric sheep breed, which have dominant genes when
it comes down to the horns. This means four-horned rams and ewes are more likely to
produce four-horned lambs, even if their mate doesn't also have four. But if this gene is so dominant, why don't all the sheep we see have some kind of four-horned crown? That comes down, mainly,
to farming practices. For many farmers, keeping sheep with four ramming weapons strapped to their heads, which can each measure
up to two feet long, would be a nightmare to wrangle. As such, this four-horned
fiend is less common, but is still, arguably, four times more badass
than many other sheep. Brilliant Bighorn Sheep. When it comes to sheep with horns, very few can compete with the sheer girth that the aptly named Bighorn
sheep brings to the table. Native to North America, the large, curled horns
of the males, called rams, can weigh up to a staggering 30 pounds. That's more than all the
bones in its body combined. What's more is that,
like most animal horns, this sheep's horns never
really stop growing. Their bony cores are covered
in a sheath of keratin, which is the same stuff human hair and fingernails are made out of. And like hair and fingernails, horns don't grow quickly, but over years. This means that older rams can sport some truly colossal curls that
are over three feet in length and almost one foot all the
way round at their base. However, they don't always
grow in perfect coils. Back in 2014, one Bighorn ram
was found to have been impaled by both its ever-growing horns. And like that wasn't terrifying enough, the way Bighorns use their
colossal curls is even more wild. When rutting with one another
in the fight for females, rams will charge at each other with speeds of up to 20 miles per hour. Just listen to the noise they make. (rams' horns crashing) Ow indeed! Fortunately, their thick
skulls protect their brain from most of the damage these super-charged headbutts can inflict. I guess that's one way to avoid
some serious ram-ifications. Beautiful Black Necked Goat. When you first look at the
Valais Black Necked Goat, you might be mistaken for
thinking their back ends must have been dipped in white paint. But this distinctive
coloring is all natural, as are those horns on top of their heads. Both males and females of this goat breed, which come from Valais in Switzerland, sport a set of hard horns, which can reach nearly
20 inches in females and over 31 inches in males. Although, there's one incredible
exception to this rule, and his ridiculously
well-suited name is Rasputin. Back in 2017, this wily-looking
animal broke the record for the largest horn
spread of any living goat, which measured a whopping 53.23 inches from tip to pointy tip. That's about the same size
as an average 9-year-old-boy. While they look like they
could cause a world of damage, Rasputin is reportedly a very nice goat who's never hurt anyone
with his humongous headgear. I guess that really does
make this goat a GOAT, as in Greatest of All Time. Resplendent Rhinos. Now, it's not just sheep,
goats, and antelope that sport serious horns. Roaming rhinoceros arguably
have some of the most famous horns in the world. And they grow these
fantastical facial fronts thanks to their ancestor,
the Elasmotherium. This pre-historic giant
is thought to have reached almost 10 feet at the shoulder, with a humongous horn that could measure over 6-1/2 feet from base to tip. Although they're long extinct, their rhino relatives still sport horns, the largest of which can
be found in two species from the African plains: the
black rhino and white rhino. Black rhinos, both male and
female, boast two horns, with the more prominent one
at the tip of their nose reaching an average 1.6 feet long. But their cousins the White
Rhinos take first place with horns that can grow a
fantastical five feet long. Unlike the keratin covered bone found in other horned species, the core of the Rhinoceros horn is made of calcium deposits and melanin. Being slightly softer than bone, the horn gets its curved shape when the Rhino rubs it against the ground. Though when they're not busy molding them, they use their horns to
defend their territory, forage for food, and even dig up water. But, sadly, their huge horns also make them huge targets for poachers. For hundreds of years, rhino horns have baselessly been thought to contain aphrodisiac powers, and ruthlessly lusty
humans will pay anything to get their hands on them. Just one pound of horn can be sold for a staggering $3,000
on the black market. And with a male rhino, known as a bull, carrying an average of 22 lbs of horn, this makes them very
valuable targets indeed. But this greed has pushed
the black rhino population to critical endangerment, with white rhinos also near threatened. To save them from being
killed just for their horns, some conservationists like these in Phinda Reserve, South Africa, have taken to removing their
rhinos' horns entirely. Using a huge chainsaw, they cut through both the
tranquilized rhino's horns at the base before covering the sites with a protective layer of tar. It'll undoubtedly have
saved the life of this rhino from problematic poachers, but doesn't this kind of
extreme just break your heart? Inconceivable Ibex. The brilliant, backwards curling horns of the Ibex mountain goats
are impossible not to gawk at. These colossal curves are shared by seven different types of ibex, all of which sit under the Capra genus, the same as the Markhor goats. And just like the Markhor, these nimble creatures
are adept at clambering over the steep, rocky
terrains of mountains all over the world. But unlike the Markhors' wide hooves, Ibex hooves have sharp edges
and bowl-shaped undersides that act like suction cups to help them grip the sides of the cliff. Some, like the Alpine Ibex, are so adept that they can even climb up
near vertical structures, like dams, to graze on essential salts and nutrient-rich lichens. And that's made even more impressive when you learn that it's on
these impossibly steep slopes that the male Ibex lock horns and fight for the right
to breed with the females. Because of their precarious situation, instead of charging at one another, they'll raise themselves
onto their hind legs and smash their horns into their opponent. Obviously for the Ibex, this
means the bigger the horns, the better the chance
of getting a girlfriend. And while most Ibex horns average between 2-1/2 to 4 feet long, the horns of the Asiatic
Ibex can reach a phenomenal five feet in length. Considering they only
measure about 3-1/2 feet at the shoulders, this
makes their horns longer than the Ibex are high. That may still be small compared
to an average-sized human, but if you ever tried to face off against one of these on
the top of a mountain, I wouldn't like your odds. Unbelievable Buffalo. First off, let's get one
thing clear: this is a bison, and this is a buffalo. Even though the first is sometimes called an American Buffalo, make no mistake, it belongs firmly in the Bison species. Hey, I don't make the rules. Fortunately, real
buffalos more than make up for this misnomer. These are two separate
members of the bovine family: the African or Cape Buffalo
and the Asian water buffalo. Standing up to five feet
tall at the shoulder and weighing up to 1,910 pounds, the African water buffalo
is roughly the height and size of a small car. And can you believe its
actually the smaller of the two? Its Asian cousin can reach
a staggering 2,650 pounds, some of which comes from the weight of the truly colossal horns atop its head. Both males and females bear these incredible
backwards curving horns, although the males are usually larger, and can spread upwards of a
phenomenal 47 inches in total. Although back in 1955, the Guinness World Records
recorded that one bull had a shocking span of
166 inches tip to tip, making them the longest
horns ever recorded. For a more visual perspective, that's about the same length
as two Shaquille O'Neil's laid end to end, although, hopefully, they
weighed a little less. While the Asian Water
Buffalo holds the title for longest horns, the Cape buffalo has
its own unique traits. Unlike any other animal, the males have curved horns
that join at the center of their head in a bony
plate called a boss. This acts like a protective helmet when they spar with one
another for mating rights, with the winner walking away
with all the ladies in tow. Looks like these beasts
are willing to risk a pretty huge headache in their
quest to get a girlfriend. The Astounding African Watusi. Just about everyone knows
that when it comes to cows, if you mess with a
bull, you get the horns. But despite the utterly immense size of the African Watusi's horns, you won't have to worry about this bull being all that aggressive. These incredible creatures are a domesticated breed of cattle that sometimes act more
like dogs than they do cows. One named Oliver from Humble, Texas is particularly fond of getting pats like a hilariously oversized Labrador. He's particularly fond of having the back of his head scratched, as it's one of the places on his body his huge horns prevent him from reaching. But how come the horns
of these wonderful Watusi are so huge in the first place? While the bulls occasionally use them to spar with other males, and the females use them to
help defend their calves, they're more than just unwieldy weapons. You see, these horns don't
just contain solid bone, but a matrix of epithelium, which is a kind of membrane tissue. This is lined with blood vessels
which constantly circulate the Watusi's blood and disperse
a lot of its excess heat. In their native African climates, which have summers that
can reach a roasting 120 degrees Fahrenheit, this heat dispersion is
essential for keeping them cool. So, the bigger the horns,
the cooler these cattle are, in more ways than one. At their largest, these can
be over 6-1/2 feet in length. But for one Watusi, named Lurch, it wasn't the length of his
horns that made him a big deal. This steer, which is the
name for a castrated bull, has horns that measured in at a whopping 3 feet 1.5 inches in circumference, giving him the girthiest
horns on the planet. Well, I guess this means it's not always about length after all. The Tremendous Texas Longhorn. They say that everything's
bigger in Texas, and that's proven by the
existence of the Texas Longhorn, no prizes for guessing
where it gets its name from. Like the Watusi, these brilliant bovines are a
domesticated breed of cattle. Although unlike their
African counterparts, they've specifically adapted to the environment of North America. But there's one of them
that really stands out from the rest of the herd. Say hello to Poncho, an
eight-year-old Longhorn who really lives up to
the name of his breed. From tip to pointy tip, Poncho's rack spans an
impossibly impressive 10 feet 7.4 inches. That's more than twice the
width of a concert grand piano and is even wider than the
Statue of Liberty's face. According to the Guinness World Records, this means Poncho has
the largest horn spread of any steer in history, making him something of a celebrity. But for all that deadly looking span, Poncho is as soft as his hide. Since he was bought by his owners, the Pope family, back in 2014, he's grown into a gentle giant
who's also incredibly smart. Over the years, he's learned exactly where
the tips of his horns are, and maneuvers around the trees on his farm by tipping his head. And I bet he comes in
handy should his owners ever want to hold a
local limbo competition. Abnormal Antlers. Now, horns aren't the
only fancy headdresses in the animal kingdom. Antlers are a kind of
paired, branched structure that also develop on top
of a creature's cranium. But where a horn has an outer layer made up entirely of keratin, antlers are made almost
completely out of bone. As they develop, the antlers
are protected by a soft, hair-like covering known as velvet, which is comprised of
blood vessels and nerves. Then, as a result of hormonal
and environmental changes, the growing, spongy bone of the new antler begins to harden and thicken. And by scraping the antlers
against the trees and bushes like this little guy, the
velvet gradually falls away. Although, all that newly exposed bone often leaves these majestic creatures looking like they just
butted their way out of hell. But for some, the process
is a little worse than that. Whitetail deer males, known as bucks, are coveted by hunters for the
size of their antler racks. How coveted exactly? Well, back in 2017, this
world-record breaking rack with 47 spectacular protrusions was worth approximately $100,000. To get racks of these sizes, deer raised on farms for
hunters are selectively bred, and sometimes even in-bred, to produce the biggest racks possible. But, as you can see, this
can go horribly wrong. These terribly disfigured antlers look like a mutation out of a sci-fi film rather than a real-life ranch. So, while most bucks have 8
to 10 points over two antlers, badly bred bucks like this one can have more than 50 peculiar points. Fortunately, unlike horns, antlers are shed and regrown every year in line with their mating seasons. So, luckily, those poor
bucks won't be carrying those arduous antlers around forever. Crazy Cactus Bucks. Unfortunately, it's not
just bad breeding processes that can cause an animal to grow some seriously abnormal antlers. The hormone testosterone plays a huge role in antler development, with more testosterone
giving the bucks bigger and stronger antlers in general. Now, testosterone is primarily produced by the creature's crown jewels. But if these are somehow damaged
by trauma or disease, ouch, it can affect the deer's
testosterone levels. And the knock-on effect this
can have to their antlers is buck wild, to say the least. Without the yearly
fluctuations of testosterone, the velvet on these
antlers continue growing all year round, causing
uncontrollable globs of velvet to merge and form strange
cactus-like structures. And what's even worse is that
without that crucial drop in testosterone at the
end of the mating season, these antlers aren't always shed. This can lead to years and
years of velvet accumulation, like this poor buck clearly suffered from. I mean, it looks more like it's wearing a British bearskin hat
than a pair of antlers. They may not be the biggest, but they're definitely some of the oddest animal headdresses you'll ever see. Notorious Narwhals. Narwhals are, arguably, one
of the most well-known species inhabiting the deep blue sea, even though many people
have never seen one. With its body reaching
lengths of up to 20 feet long, the pretty, pale-colored porpoise is a magical sight to behold. But the reason they've become so iconic is thanks to the huge spiraling horn jutting out the front of their heads. While this peculiar protrusion
has given the Narwhals the nickname of the unicorn of the sea, it's not, as many people
believe, any kind of horn. It is in fact an overgrown
spiralized tooth, so it's closer to something
like an elephant tusk rather than a rhino horn. Not only that, but narwhals can have two
of these tremendous teeth, which can grow up to 10 feet long each. But what exactly does
the Narwhal use them for? Well, amazingly, scientists
don't actually know. What they do know is that
they're incredibly sensitive, with up to 10 million nerve endings on the outside of each one. Some scientists believe this sensitivity can help them pick up on
changes in their environment, like shifts in the saltwater content of the frigid Arctic Seas
or helping them find food. But others believe the tooth
is used in attracting mates, as it's usually only found in males. It's also been observed that Narwhals use their spear-like tooth for hunting, although they probably don't go around skewering their prey like a shish kebab. Video evidence shows male Narwhals swimming through the icy arctic waters, flicking their horns
into unsuspecting fish. Stunned, the fish remain motionless as the Narwhal proceed to gobble them up. But even then, growing a 10 feet horn just to tap a few fish
seems like overkill, right? As such, scientists are still stumped as to the true porpoise, I mean, purpose of the Narwhal's tusk. Personally, I like to think they use them to have secret swordfights under water. Have you ever seen any of these amazing
animal horns up close? Let me know down in the comments below, and thanks for watching. (upbeat music)
