There are a lot of very heavy animals in our world, but a few give a new meaning to the word BIG.
What is the heaviest land mammal in the world today?
That honor goes to the African Bush Elephant.
These supersized animals reach weights of around 15,000 pounds (6,803 kg).
That’s as heavy as 3 large SUV’s!
While most African elephants weigh on average from 10,00 to 14,000 pounds (4,535 to 6,350 kg), there have been many who go way beyond average.
The largest recorded weight of this elephant species is a whopping 26,500 pounds (12,020 kg)!
It was killed in Angola in 1974 and currently is on display at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC.
~ Fun Fact ~
You know that elephants are huge, but did you know that they are also fast for their size?
Elephants have been recorded running at speeds of 15 mph or higher when they need to.
Resources
http://famouswonders.com/heaviest-land-animals-on-earth/