The Sheer Size Of These Animals Is Surprising – Some Of Them Are Way Bigger Than You Thought

joannashepherd | July 7, 2025 5:00 pm

Have you ever been courtside at a basketball game and been taken aback by how much taller the players appear in person compared to on TV?

Similarly, no matter how much we study wild animals, it's tough to truly grasp their size. These striking comparisons reveal just how enormous some of them actually are.

Raise Your Hand If You Didn't Think Snails Were This Big

giant african snail is size of large rabbit
Photo Credit: Reddit / sverdrupian
Photo Credit: Reddit / sverdrupian

The woman is holding an African Land Snail, a large land snail species native to East Africa and recognized as one of the world's most invasive species.

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This Bison Weighs 3000 Pounds

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person tagging bison, whose head is almost the size of the person
Photo Credit: Reddit / hootersbutwithcats
Photo Credit: Reddit / hootersbutwithcats
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The individual in this photo is tagging and collecting a blood sample from the bison for testing. Although this bison is domesticated, it's crucial to remember never to approach one—or a herd—in the wild, as they would easily overpower you in any encounter.

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I Didn't Know A Salamander Could Be This Large

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Photo Credit: Michael Stuparyk/Toronto Star via Getty Images
Photo Credit: Michael Stuparyk/Toronto Star via Getty Images
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This giant Chinese salamander, the largest amphibian on Earth, is critically endangered. Interestingly, it makes crying noises that sound remarkably like those of small children.

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Siberian Husky Vs. Wolf

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wolf is significantly larger than siberian husky
Photo Credit: Reddit / MDL_Reddit
Photo Credit: Reddit / MDL_Reddit
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Wolves usually steer clear of humans by residing in remote regions, making it difficult to grasp just how large they are compared to the dogs we're familiar with. The reality is—they’re much bigger than you might imagine.

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A Grizzly Bear's Paw

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woman holding up bear paw that is twice the size of her head
Photo Credit: Reddit / rabtj
Photo Credit: Reddit / rabtj
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Don't worry—the bear in this photo was sedated. A grizzly’s swipe packs enough power to bring down a full-grown elk with just one quick strike.

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A Maine Coon Vs. A Siamese Cat

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maine coon cat is over twice the size of a regular siamese cat
Photo Credit: Reddit / AJSTOOBE
Photo Credit: Reddit / AJSTOOBE
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Maine Coons are recognized as the largest domesticated cat breed in the world. Originating from North America—particularly New England—they gained popularity on farms thanks to their exceptional talent for catching mice.

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Imagine Seeing One Of These In Your House

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huge spider photographed next to person
Photo Credit: Reddit
Photo Credit: Reddit
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Though its size is intimidating, this spider is actually among the least dangerous in Australia—its bite is more annoying than harmful to humans. It belongs to the huntsman spider family, which includes the largest spider species on the planet.

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Wombats Seem Too Cuddly To Be This Big

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wombat is half the size of a human
Photo Credit: Reddit / Yikes_Brigade
Photo Credit: Reddit / Yikes_Brigade
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Meet Patrick, a wombat who called an Australian wildlife sanctuary home. Although he was slightly larger than the typical wombat, he was incredibly gentle and lovable. Here's a quirky fact: wombats actually produce cube-shaped poop!

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A Human Next To A Blue Whale Skull

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human is only a quarter of the size of a blue whale skull
Photo Credit: Reddit / Bjcistok
Photo Credit: Reddit / Bjcistok
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Believed to be the biggest animal to have ever existed on Earth, the blue whale sustains itself by consuming some of the smallest sea creatures, such as shrimp and krill—and thankfully, that's the case.

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This Horse Could Knock Me Cold With A Half-Hearted Kick

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clydesdale horses are twice the height of woman
Photo Credit: Reddit / kaywhyesay
Photo Credit: Reddit / kaywhyesay
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Shown here are three Clydesdale horses, a Scottish breed traditionally used for farming, heavy logging work, and pulling carriages. Despite their massive size, these horses are known for their gentle nature and calm temperament.

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I Wouldn't Want To Tango With That Big Boy

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man with small snapping turtle and Much larger snapping turtle
Photo Credit: Reddit / AntiSocialBlogger
Photo Credit: Reddit / AntiSocialBlogger
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The turtle perched on top is the more typical snapping turtle species found in many ponds and lakes, while the one below shows a fully grown alligator snapping turtle.

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Imagine The Light It Would Fly Into

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moth has each wing the size of a human hand
Photo Credit: Reddit / CarnivalLaw
Photo Credit: Reddit / CarnivalLaw
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You're likely used to spotting tiny moths fluttering around your porch light at night. This is the Atlas Moth, boasting an impressive average wingspan of nine inches.

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Chicken Egg Vs. Emu Eggs

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chicken egg surrounded by four large emu eggs
Photo Credit: Reddit / shzsky
Photo Credit: Reddit / shzsky
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Emus are towering, flightless birds native to Australia, reaching heights of up to two meters. As the second-largest bird species on the planet, it's no shock that their eggs are impressively large.

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This Is An Adult Leatherback Turtle

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leatherback turtle is about the size of three fully grown adults
Photo Credit: Reddit / WulfsigeX
Photo Credit: Reddit / WulfsigeX
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Leatherback turtles hold the title as the largest living turtles in the world and are unique in that they lack a hard shell. Female leatherbacks surface and come ashore just once a year, making their way to southern Caribbean beaches to lay their eggs.

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No Wonder They Can Run So Fast

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pair of inflated horse lungs look huge next to people
Photo Credit: Reddit / GallowBoob
Photo Credit: Reddit / GallowBoob
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This is a pair of inflated horse lungs that have been removed from a dying horse. For further comparison, the average lung capacity for a human is four liters; for horses, it's 55 liters.

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Imagine Swimming Next To This Big Guy

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giant fish with mouth open, teeth bared
Photo Credit: Reddit / PrestonGarvey1
Photo Credit: Reddit / PrestonGarvey1
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This is the Goliath Tigerfish, a large species of predatory fish that lives in the Congo Basin River, a river that runs from central Democratic Republic of Congo to the Atlantic Ocean.

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...And Sometimes It's Nice To Think About How Small You Are

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iphone on child is the size of its whole torso
Photo Credit: Reddit / z4cd
Photo Credit: Reddit / z4cd
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This new father was absolutely shocked and amazed by how his newborn baby was so tiny that it was almost the same size as his phone. It's humbling to think that we all started this small.

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