7 of the World's Toughest Animals
World’s toughest animals! From invincible tardigrades (water bears) to immortal creatures, here are the strongest species discovered on planet Earth. They survive most environments!
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Voiceover by Rodney Tompkins:
7: The Snow Leopard
A species of large cat, also known as Panthera Uncia, the snow leopard lives in the high, rugged mountains of South & Central Asia, in areas ranging from Afghanistan to Kazakhstan & Russia in the north to India & China in the east. They inhabit rocky outcrops & ravines & steep cliff areas at altitudes of 9,800-17,000 ft. These strong felines are perfectly adapted to the rough environment they inhabit. The snow leopard is primarily known for its beautiful thick fur with a white, grey or soft-yellowish coat & ringed spots of black on brown. This pattern acts as a camouflage for their prey, which mainly consists of wild goats & sheep.
6: The Komodo Dragon
With an average length of 8 to 9 feet & weighing up to 200 pounds, Komodo dragons are the largest living lizards in the world. They have flat heads, bowed legs & long, thick tails. They are armed with long claws & their rough & durable skins are reinforced with bony plates called osteoderms. These animals have several features that make them impressive predators. According to the Smithsonian Zoo, the Komodo Dragon’s keen sense of sight enables it to see objects located at distances of more than 985 feet away. However, this gigantic lizard primarily relies on its sense of smell to detect food. Using its forked tongue, it samples the air.
5: The Dung Beetle
Despite usually being only around an inch long the dung beetle is capable of some extraordinary feats. When considering the strength-to-bodyweight ratio, the dung beetle is the strongest living creature on Earth. The Taurus Scarab is a species of dung beetle where the male can pull objects that weigh up to 1,141 times its own body weight. That is the equivalent of an average-sized human being pulling weights of over 80 tons. Dung beetles may be found on every continent around the world with the exception of Antarctica. As their name indicates they primarily feed on animal excrement.
4: The Saltwater Crocodile
The largest of all known living reptiles, the saltwater crocodile, is a hyper-carnivorous apex predator with a broad distribution around the world. They may be found in areas ranging from India’s eastern coast, throughout Southeast Asia & the north of Australia. They mainly inhabit rivers, marshes & lakes but they have been known to travel long distances at sea, due to the fact that they are excellent swimmers. Male Saltwater crocodiles can reach up to 23 feet in length while weighing almost 2,600 pounds. They have one of the most powerful bites in the animal kingdom reportedly being able to generate a force of 7,700 pounds per square inch.
3: The Wolverine
Even though wolverines are the largest members of the Mustelidae family, their proportions rarely exceed those of a medium-sized dog. However, wolverines are remarkably strong & ferocious. They may be found in the subarctic & alpine tundra & boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere, in the US state of Alaska, northern Canada, in the west of Russia, Siberia & mainland Nordic countries in Europe. They are known primarily as scavengers, their stocky & muscular bodies, strong jaws & sharp, crampon-like claws also make them versatile & powerful predators. There have been documented instances where wolverines have taken down prey larger than themselves.
2: The Honey Badger
Honey badgers have been described as the most fearless creatures in the world. They are the largest species of terrestrial mustelids in Africa. They may also be found in Southwest Asia or in the Indian subcontinent. Adult males typically measure around 27 to 42 inches from head to tail with a shoulder height of 9 to 11 inches & weigh from 20 to 35 pounds. The sides of their lower bodies & heads are pure black & their upper bodies are covered by a large white band that goes from the tops of their heads to the base of the tail. Primarily a carnivorous species, the honey badger does not have many natural predators.
1: Tardigrades
Also known as the water bear or the space bear, the Tardigrade is widely considered to be the most resilient animal on Earth, able to survive in outer space. It is an almost microscopic creature, usually less than one millimeter in size, with a scrunched-up head & a plump, long body. It has eight legs & four to eight claws on each of its hands. Water bears mainly survive by eating fluids & sucking the juices out of moss, lichens & algae. According to the BBC, some Tardigrade species are carnivorous & even cannibalistic. What makes the water bear nearly indestructible is its ability to survive in almost any habitat. They typically prefer to live on moist pieces of moss.