Megafauna are generally defined as animals that weigh over 500 kg to 1 tonne, i.e., any animal larger than the largest widespread domestic animal, the domestic bull. The term is also used to refer to particular groups of large animals, both to extant species and, more often, those that have become extinct in geologically recent times. The international prototype, made of platinum-iridium, which is kept at the BIPM under conditions specified by the 1st CGPM in 1889. ... A tonne (symbol t), sometimes referred to as a metric tonne, is a measurement of weight. ... Domesticated animals, plants, and other organisms are those whose collective behavior, life cycle, or physiology has been altered as a result of their breeding and living conditions being under human control for multiple generations. ... Binomial name Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758 Cattle (often called cows in vernacular and contemporary usage, or kye as the Scots plural of cou) are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. ... The Dodo, shown here in illustration, is an often-cited[1] example of extinction. ...

Megafauna animals are generally K-strategists, with great longevity, slow population growth rates, low death rates, and few or no natural predators capable of killing adults. These characteristics make megafauna highly vulnerable to human exploitation. Many species of megafauna have become extinct within the last million years, and, although some biologists dispute it, human hunting is often cited as the cause. In ecology, r/K selection theory relates to the selection of traits (in organisms) that allow success in particular environments. ... It has been suggested that Big-game hunter be merged into this article or section. ...

Usage

The sense in which the term is used is usually apparent from the context:

1. A particular group of large, extinct animals. For example, American megafauna, meaning "the various species of large American mammal that became extinct about 13,000 years ago".
2. Any group of large animals. For example, South American megafauna, meaning "all large animals in South America today".

Extinction

Two major hypotheses have been proposed to explain the extinction of megafauna. The first cites human intervention, noting that the time of human appearances on the various continents was the time that they became extinct. However, this is not widely accepted because megafauna actually began to decline before humans arrived in some places (North America) and did not decline due to human predation (France) in others. There is also a distinct lack of massive kill sites in the archaeological record.

The second is that climate changes, most notably increases in average temperature, caused them to die. While the woolly mammoth survived on at least two islands in the region of the Bering strait for thousands of years after the end of the last glaciation 12,000 years ago, this indicates that it was not just a change in climate and accompanying vegetation that killed off megafauna in other regions, but that the replacement of other species more optimally adapted for the conditions that came with the end of the Pleistocene caused significant population duress.

Charismatic megafauna

The term charismatic megafauna refers to animals that have widespread popular appeal. Examples include the Giant Panda, the Asian Elephant, and the Blue Whale. Binomial name Ailuropoda melanoleuca (David, 1869) Giant Panda range The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca black-and-white cat-foot) is a mammal classified in the bear family, Ursidae, native to central and southern China. ... Binomial name Elephas maximus Linnaeus, 1758 Asian Elephant range The Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), sometimes known by the name of its nominate subspecies (the Indian Elephant), is one of the three living species of elephant, and the only living species of the genus Elephas. ... Binomial name Balaenoptera musculus (Linneus, 1758) Blue Whale range The Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a marine mammal belonging to the suborder of baleen whales. ...

Charismatic megafauna often garner a disproportionate level of public concern. Environmental activists are aware of this effect and use the extra leverage provided by a charismatic species to achieve more subtle and far-reaching goals. By directing public attention to the plight of the Giant Panda, for example, the environmental movement can raise support not just for the protection of the panda, but for the entire ecosystem on which it depends. The Giant Panda is portrayed in the logo of the World Wildlife Fund. Environmentalism is activism aimed at improving the environment, particularly nature. ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... An ecosystem, a contraction of ecological and system, refers to the collection of components and processes that comprise, and govern the behavior of, some defined subset of the biosphere. ... Note: After losing a court case in 2002 on the use of the initials WWF, the organization previously known as the World Wrestling Federation has rebranded itself as World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE. WWF - The Conservation Organization was formerly known as World Wildlife Fund and Worldwide Fund for Nature. ...

Megafauna by continent

"†" denotes extinct megafauna

African megafauna

• African Buffalo
• Giant Long-horned Buffalo † (Bubalus antiquus)
• African Bush Elephant
• African Forest Elephant
• Hippopotamus
• Black Rhinoceros
• White Rhinoceros
• Giraffe
• Lion
• Nile Crocodile
• Kaluga
• Giant Eland
• Secretary bird
• Wildebeest
• Ostrich
• Deinotherium †
• Dinofelis †

Eurasian megafauna

• Aurochs †
• Andrewsarchus †
• Cave Bear †
• Cave lion †
• Giant Panda
• Yak
• Asian Black bear
• Deinotherium †
• Dinofelis †
• Entelodont †
• Giant Unicorn †
• Asian Elephant
• Gaur
• Indricotherium †
• Irish Elk † (or Irish giant deer)
• Mammoth †
• Kouprey
• Sturgeon
• Most Tiger
• Demoiselle Crane
• Gigantopithecus †
• Red-crowned Crane
• Komodo Dragon
• Sarus Crane
• Siberian Crane
• Indian Rhinoceros
• Javan Rhinoceros
• White Stork
• Sumatran Rhinoceros
• Woolly Rhinoceros †
• Stegodon †
• Syrian Camel †
• Wisent

Australian megafauna

• Saltwater Crocodile
• Diprotodonts †
• Most Kangaroo
• Goanna
• Emu
• Brolga
• Cassowary
• Megalania prisca †
• Marsupial lion †

See also: Australian megafauna Binomial name Syncerus caffer (Sparrman, 1779) Subspecies The African Buffalo or Cape Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a bovid from the family of the Bovidae. ... Binomial name Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach, 1797) The African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the better-known and larger of the two species of African elephants. ... Binomial name Loxodonta cyclotis Matschie, 1900 Until recently, it was thought that the so-called African Forest Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) or was simply a subspecies of the African Bush Elephant(Loxodonta africana). ... Binomial name Hippopotamus amphibius Linnaeus, 1758 The Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), from the Greek ‘ιπποπόταμος (hippopotamos, hippos meaning horse and potamos meaning river), is a large, plant-eating African mammal, one of only two extant, and three or four recently extinct, species in the family Hippopotamidae. ... Binomial name Diceros bicornis Linnaeus, 1758 The Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis; also colloquially, Black Rhino) is a mammal in the order Perissodactyla, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. ... Binomial name Ceratotherium simum Burchell, 1817 The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) is one of the five species of rhinoceros that still exists and is one of the few megafauna species left. ... Binomial name Giraffa camelopardalis Linnaeus, 1758 The Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all land-living animal species. ... Binomial name Panthera leo (Linnaeus, 1758) Synonyms Felis leo (Linnaeus, 1758) The lion (Panthera leo) is a mammal of the family Felidae and one of four big cats in the genus Panthera. ... Binomial name Crocodylus niloticus (Laurenti, 1768) The Nile crocodile is one of the 3 species of crocodiles found in Africa, and one of the largest species of crocodile. ... Kaluga (Huso dauricus) (various groups of sturgeons) are large predatory fish found in the Amur River basin. ... Binomial name Taurotragus derbianus Gray, 1847 The Giant Eland (Taurotragus derbianus also known as the Derby Eland) is an open forest savannah antelope. ... Binomial name Sagittarius serpentarius (Miller,JF, 1779) The Secretary Bird, Sagittarius serpentarius, is an extraordinary member of the bird of prey family. ... Species Connochaetes taurinus Connochaetes gnou Connochaetes taurinus cooksoni Connochaetes taurinus albojubatus Connochaetes taurinus johnstoni The wildebeest, also called gnu (pronounced or ), is a large hooved (ungulate) mammal of the genus Connochaetes, which includes two species, both native to Africa: the Black Wildebeest (), and the Blue & White-bearded Wildebeest or Blue... Binomial name Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1758 The ostrich (Struthio camelus) is a flightless bird native to Africa. ... Species Deinotherium bozasi Arambourg, 1934 Deinotherium giganteus Kaup, 1829 Deinotherium indicum Falconer, 1845 Deinotherium (terrible beast) was a huge prehistoric proto-elephant that appeared in the Middle Miocene and continued until the Early Pleistocene. ... Species Dinofelis abeli Dinofelis barlowi Dinofelis diastemata Dinofelis paleoonca Dinofelis piveteaui Dinofelis therailurus Dinofelis is a genus of machairodontin saber-toothed cats belong to the tribe Metailurini that lived in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America approximately 5-1. ... Trinomial name Bos primigenius primigenius (Bojanus, 1827) Bos primigenius namadicus (Falconer, 1859) Bos primigenius mauretanicus (Thomas, 1881) See Ur (rune) for the rune. ... Andrewsarchus was the largest member of the mesonychians, a group of extinct prehistoric mammals. ... Binomial name Ursus spelaeus Rosenmüller, 1794 The Cave Bear (Ursus spelaeus) was a species of bear which lived in Europe during the Pleistocene and became extinct at the end of the last ice age about 10,000 years ago. ... Trinomial name Panthera leo spelaea Goldfuss, 1810 The cave lion, also known as the European or Eurasian cave lion, is an extinct feline known from fossils and a wide variety of prehistoric art. ... Binomial name Ailuropoda melanoleuca (David, 1869) Giant Panda range The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca black-and-white cat-foot) is a mammal classified in the bear family, Ursidae, native to central and southern China. ... Binomial name Bos grunniens Linnaeus, 1766 Subspecies Bos grunniens grunniens Bos grunniens mutus The yak (Bos grunniens) is a long-haired humped domestic bovine found in Tibet and throughout the Himalayan region of south central Asia, as well as in Mongolia. ... Binomial name Ursus thibetanus (G. Cuvier, 1823) Synonyms Selenarctos thibetanus The Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus or Selenarctos thibetanus), also known as the Tibetan black bear, the Himalayan black bear, or the moon bear, is a medium sized, sharp-clawed, black-coloured bear with a distinctive white or cream V... Species Deinotherium bozasi Arambourg, 1934 Deinotherium giganteus Kaup, 1829 Deinotherium indicum Falconer, 1845 Deinotherium (terrible beast) was a huge prehistoric proto-elephant that appeared in the Middle Miocene and continued until the Early Pleistocene. ... Species Dinofelis abeli Dinofelis barlowi Dinofelis diastemata Dinofelis paleoonca Dinofelis piveteaui Dinofelis therailurus Dinofelis is a genus of machairodontin saber-toothed cats belong to the tribe Metailurini that lived in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America approximately 5-1. ... Entelodonts were extinct relatives of modern pigs and other hoofed animals. ... Binomial name Elasmotherium sibiricus The Giant Unicorn (Elasmotherium sibiricus) was a two meter high, and six meter long rhinoceros with a single two meter long horn in the forehead. ... Binomial name Elephas maximus Linnaeus, 1758 Asian Elephant range The Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), sometimes known by the name of its nominate subspecies (the Indian Elephant), is one of the three living species of elephant, and the only living species of the genus Elephas. ... Binomial name Bos gaurus H. Smith, 1827 The Gaur (Bos gaurus, previously Bibos gauris) is a large, dark-coated ox of the hilly areas of South Asia and Southeast Asia, which may be found wild or domesticated. ... Binomial name Indricotherium transouralicum (Pavlova, 1922) Indricotherium lived in Asia during the late Oligocene and early Miocene epoch of the Tertiary Period, The Indricotherium is known to have been the largest land mammal ever. ... Binomial name Megaloceros giganteus (Blumenbach, 1799) The Irish Elk (Megaloceros giganteus or Megaceros, more properly a subgenus[1]) is an huge extinct deer (the largest species of deer to have ever lived) that lived in Eurasia, from Ireland to China, during the Pliocene, Pleistocene, and Holocene epochs. ... Species Mammuthus africanavus   African mammoth Mammuthus columbi   Columbian mammoth Mammuthus exilis   Pygmy mammoth Mammuthus jeffersonii   Jeffersonian mammoth Mammuthus trogontheri   Steppe mammoth Mammuthus meridionalis Mammuthus primigenius   Woolly mammoth Mammuthus lamarmorae   Sardinian Dwarf Mammoth A mammoth is any of a number of an extinct genus of elephant, often with long curved tusks... Binomial name Bos sauveli Urbain, 1937 The Kouprey (Bos sauveli also known as Kouproh) is a wild forest dwelling ox found mainly in northern Cambodia but also believed to be found in southern Laos, western Vietnam, and eastern Thailand. ... Species See text. ... Binomial name Panthera tigris (Linnaeus, 1758) Synonyms Felis tigris Linnaeus, 1758 Tigris striatus Severtzov, 1858 Tigris regalis Gray, 1867 Tigers (Panthera tigris) are mammals of the Felidae family and one of four big cats in the Panthera genus. ... Binomial name Anthropoides virgo (Linnaeus, 1758) The Demoiselle Crane (Anthropoides virgo) is a species of crane. ... Species Gigantopithecus blacki Gigantopithecus bilaspurensis Gigantopithecus was a genus of ape that existed from as long ago as 5 million years ago and as recently as 100 thousand years ago in what is today the countries of China and India. ... Binomial name Grus japonensis (Statius Muller, 1776) The Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis), also called the Japanese Crane and Manchurian Crane, is a large crane and is the second rarest crane in the world. ... Binomial name Varanus komodoensis Ouwens, 1912 The Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is the largest living lizard in the world, growing to an average length of 2-3 meters (10 feet). ... Binomial name Grus antigone Linnaeus, 1758 The Sarus Crane (Grus antigone) is a resident breeding bird in northern India, Nepal, Southeast Asia and Queensland, Australia. ... Binomial name Grus leucogeranus Pallas, 1773 The Siberian Crane, Grus leucogeranus, also known as the Siberian White Crane or the Snow Crane, is a bird of the family Gruidae, the cranes. ... Binomial name Rhinoceros unicornis (Linnaeus, 1758) The Indian Rhinoceros or the Great One-horned Rhinoceros, Rhinoceros unicornis, is a large mammal found in Nepal and in Assam, India. ... Binomial name Rhinoceros sondaicus Desmarest, 1822 The Javan Rhinoceros, Rhinoceros sondaicus is one of the rarest and most endangered large mammals anywhere in the world. ... Binomial name Ciconia ciconia Linnaeus, 1758 The White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. ... Binomial name Dicerorhinus sumatrensis (Fischer, 1814) The Sumatran Rhinoceros is the smallest extant rhinoceros species, as well as the one with the most fur, which allows it to survive at very high altitudes in Borneo and Sumatra. ... Binomial name Coelodonta antiquitatis (Blumenbach, 1807) The Woolly Rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) is an extinct species of rhinoceros that lived during the Pleistocene epoch, but survived the last ice age. ... Stegodon is a genus of the extinct subfamily Stegodontinae of the order Proboscidea. ... The Syrian Camel is an extinct species of wild camel from Syria. ... Binomial name Bison bonasus (Linnaeus, 1758) The Wisent or European Bison (Bison bonasus) (IPA: ) is a bison species and the heaviest land animal in Europe. ... Binomial name Crocodylus porosus (Schneider, 1801) The saltwater or estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the largest of all living reptiles, and is often said to be the most dangerous to humans. ... Species Diprotodon opatum Diprotodon minor Diprotodon loderi Diprotodon annextans Diprotodons were the largest marsupials that ever lived. ... Species Macropus rufus Macropus giganteus Macropus fuliginosus A kangaroo is any of several large macropods (the marsupial family that also includes the wallabies, tree-kangaroos, wallaroos, pademelons and the Quokka: 63 species in all). ... Species Several, see text. ... Binomial name Dromaius novaehollandiae (Latham, 1790) Synonyms Dromiceius novaehollandiae The Emu (IPA pronunciation: ), Dromaius novaehollandiae, is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. ... Binomial name Grus rubicunda (Perry, 1810) The Brolga (Grus rubicunda) is a bird in the crane family. ... Species Casuarius casuarius Casuarius unappendiculatus Casuarius bennetti Cassowaries (genus Casuarius) are very large flightless birds native to the tropical forests of New Guinea and northeastern Australia. ... Binomial name Megalania prisca (Richard Owen, 1860) Megalania prisca is an extinct giant monitor lizard. ... Binomial name Thylacoleo carnifex (Owen, 1858) The Marsupial Lion (Thylacoleo carnifex) is an extinct species of carnivorous marsupial, (the largest Austrailan mammalian predator at that time) that lived in Australia from about 24 million years ago, during the late Oligocene, and became extinct about 50,000 years ago, during the... Australian megafauna is a term used to describe a number of comparatively large animal species in Australia. ...

North American megafauna

• Ice Age Camel † (Camelops herternus)
• Alaskan Moose (Alces alces gigas)
• American Lion † (Panthera leo atrox)
• American Bison (Bison bison)
• Ancient Bison † (Bison antiquus)
• American Mammoth † (Mammuthus columbi)
• Equus scotti †
• Giant Beaver † (Castoroides ohioensis)
• Giant Sloth † (Eremotherium rusconii)
• Mastodon †
• Diatryma†
• Andean Condor
• Megatherium †
• Saber-toothed cat † (Smilodon fatalis)
• Short-faced Bear † (Arctodus simus)
• Smilodon †
• Grizzly Bear
• Black Bear
• Whooping Crane
• Dinofelis †
• Teratorn † (Teratornis merriami)
• Polar Bear

Central & South American megafauna

• Glyptodon †
• Anaconda
• Giant Hummingbird
• Giant Otter
• Harpy Eagle
• Galapagos Tortoise
• Megatherium †

• Palaeolama mirifica † (an extinct Llama)
• Litoptern †
• Giant Anteater
• Jaguar
• Phorusrhacos†
• Giant Armadillo
• Tapius veroensis † (an extinct Tapir)

Island megafauna

• Madagascar Elephant bird †
• Moa †
• Moa-nalo †
• Albatross
• Haast's Eagle†
• Japanese Spider crab
• Marine Iguana

Desert megafauna

• Dromedary Camel

Ocean megafauna

• Most whales
• Walrus
• Sawfish
• Ocean Sunfish
• Elephant Seal
• Steller's Sea Cow †
• Dugong
• Manatee
• Bluefin Tuna
• Marlin
• Octopus
• Great White Shark
• Greenland Shark
• Hammerhead Shark
• Tiger Shark
• Barracuda
• Oarfish
• Manta Ray
• Basking Shark
• Whale Shark
• Giant Squid

Arctic megafauna

• Walrus
• Polar Bear
• Musk Ox
• Elephant Seal

Domestic megafauna

• Domestic cattle
• Domestic pig
• Domestic Sheep
• Domestic Horse
• Giant Schnauzer
• Great Dane
• Border Collie
• St. Bernard

Species Camelops sulcatus Camelops huerfanensis Camelops kansanus Camelops traviswhitei Camelops hesternus Camelops minidokae Camelops is an extinct genus of camels that once roamed western North America, where it appeared about 45 million years ago. ... Species Camelops sulcatus Camelops huerfanensis Camelops kansanus Camelops traviswhitei Camelops hesternus Camelops minidokae Camelops is an extinct genus of camels that once roamed western North America, where it appeared about 45 million years ago. ... Binomial name Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758) Moose range map Alces alces, called the moose in North America and the elk in Europe (see also elk for other animals called elk) is the largest member of the deer family Cervidae, distinguished from other members of Cervidae by the form of the... Trinomial name Panthera leo atrox (Leidy, 1853) The American lion, also known as the North American or American cave lion, is an extinct feline known from fossils. ... Binomial name Bison bison (Linnaeus, 1758) Subspecies B. b. ... Binomial name Bison antiquus Leidy, 1852 The Ancient Bison, Bison antiquus, was the most common large herbivore of the North American continent and is a direct ancestor of the living North American bison. ... Species Mammuthus africanavus   African mammoth Mammuthus columbi   Columbian mammoth Mammuthus exilis   Pygmy mammoth Mammuthus jeffersonii   Jeffersonian mammoth Mammuthus trogontheri   Steppe mammoth Mammuthus meridionalis Mammuthus primigenius   Woolly mammoth Mammuthus lamarmorae   Sardinian Dwarf Mammoth A mammoth is any of a number of an extinct genus of elephant, often with long curved tusks... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Binomial name Castoroides ohioensis , Giant beavers (Castoroides ohioensis) were a huge species of rodent, with a length up to 2. ... Families Rathymotheriidae Scelidotheriidae Mylodontidae Orophodontidae Megalonychidae Megatheriidae Ground sloths are extinct edentate (Order Xenarthra) mammals that are believed to be relatives of tree sloths and three-toed sloths. ... A Mastodon skeleton in museum in Bismarck, North Dakota. ... Gastornis is an extinct genus of large flightless birds that lived during the late Paleocene and Eocene periods of the Cenozoic. ... Binomial name Vultur gryphus (Linnaeus, 1758) Synonyms Vultur fossilis Moreno & Mercerat, 1891 Vultur patruus Lönnberg, 1902 Vultur pratruus Emslie, 1988 (lapsus) The Andean Condor, Vultur gryphus, is a species of bird in one of the vulture families. ... Megatheriinae were a group of elephant-sized ground sloths that lived from 2 million to 8,000 years ago. ... The fossilized skeleton of a sabre-toothed cat The term saber-toothed cat describes numerous cat-like species that lived during various parts of the Cenozoic and evolved their saber-toothed characteristics entirely independently. ... Binomial name Smilodon fatalis (Leidy, 1869) Smilodon fatalis (the deadly Smilodon) is possibly the best-known of the machairodontine saber-toothed cats. ... Arctodus, also known as the Short-Faced Bear, is a genus of extinct bear. ... Species Smilodon californicus Smilodon fatalis Smilodon gracilis Smilodon populator Smilodon floridus Smilodon neogaeus Smilodon SMILE-o-don (a bahuvrihi from Greek: σμιλη knife and (Ionic) οδων tooth) is an extinct genus of large machairodontine saber-toothed cats that are understood to have lived between approximately 3 million to 10,000 years ago... Trinomial name Ursus arctos horribilis (Ord, 1815) Current and historical range of the Grizzly Bear in North America The Grizzly Bear, sometimes called the Silvertip Bear, is a powerful brownish-yellow bear that lives in the uplands of western North America. ... Binomial name Ursus americanus The American Black Bear (Ursus americanus), also known as simply the black bear or cinnamon bear, is the most common bear in North America. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Species Dinofelis abeli Dinofelis barlowi Dinofelis diastemata Dinofelis paleoonca Dinofelis piveteaui Dinofelis therailurus Dinofelis is a genus of machairodontin saber-toothed cats belong to the tribe Metailurini that lived in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America approximately 5-1. ... Species Argentavis magnificens Argentavis magnificens is an extinct bird from the late Miocene (23 - 5 million years before present) of South America. ... Binomial name Teratornis merriami L. H. Miller, 1909 Teratornis merriami, Merriams Teratorn, was a huge North American bird, with a wingspan of around 3. ... Binomial name Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774 The polar bear (Ursus maritimus), also known as the white bear, northern bear, or sea bear, is a large bear native to the Arctic. ... Glyptodon (Greek for grooved or carved tooth) was a relative of the armadillo that lived during the Pleistocene Epoch. ... Species 4, see article. ... Binomial name Patagona gigas (Vieillot, 1824) The Giant Hummingbird Patagona gigas is the largest member of the hummingbird family. ... Binomial name Pteronura brasiliensis (Gmelin, 1788) The giant otter Pteronura brasiliensis is the largest of the worlds otters. ... Binomial name Harpia harpyja (Linnaeus, 1758) The name harpy eagle usually refers to the neotropical eagle, Harpia harpyja (see below for other birds called harpy eagles). ... Binomial name Geochelone nigra (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) The Galápagos tortoise (or giant Galápagos tortoise), Geochelone nigra, is the largest living tortoise. ... Megatheriinae were a group of elephant-sized ground sloths that lived from 2 million to 8,000 years ago. ... Species  Lama glama  Lama pacos  Lama huonaeus Lama, the modern genus name for a small group of closely allied animals, which, before the Spanish conquest of the Americas, were the only domesticated ungulates of the continent. ... The Litopterna, also known as the pseudo-horse, is an order of fossil mammals from the Tertiary Period that displays toe reduction. ... Binomial name Myrmecophaga tridactyla Linnaeus, 1758 Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Anteater The Giant Anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, is the largest species of anteater. ... Binomial name Panthera onca (Linnaeus, 1758) The jaguar (Panthera onca) is a large member of the cat family found primarily in the warm regions of the Americas. ... Binomial name Phorusrhacos longissimus (Ameghino, 1887) Synonyms see text Phorusrhacos was a genus of giant flightless predatory birds that lived in Patagonia, containing the single species P. longissimus. ... Binomial name Priodontes maximus (Kerr, 1792) The Giant Armadillo (Priodontes maximus) is the largest species of armadillo. ... Species Tapirus bairdii Tapirus indicus Tapirus pinchaque Tapirus terrestris Tapirs are large browsing animals, roughly pig-like in shape but with short, prehensile trunks. ... Species Aepyornis hildebrandti Aepyornis medius Aepyornis maximus Aepyornis is an extinct genus of flightless bird. ... Genera Anomalopteryx (bush moa) Euryapteryx Megalapteryx (upland moa) Dinornis (giant moa) Emeus Pachyornis Moa were giant flightless birds native to New Zealand. ... Genera Chelychelynechen Thambetochen Ptaiochen The Moa-nalos are an extinct group of aberrant ducks that used to live on the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific. ... Genera Diomedea Thalassarche Phoebastria Phoebetria Albatrosses, of the biological family Diomedeidae, are large seabirds allied to the procellarids, storm-petrels and diving-petrels in the order Procellariiformes (the tubenoses). ... Binomial name Harpagornis moorei Haast, 1872 A model on display at Te Papa of a Haasts Eagle attacking a moa with its talons Haasts Eagle (Harpagornis moorei) was a massive eagle that once lived on the South Island of New Zealand. ... Binomial name Macrocheira kaempferi Temminck, 1836 The Japanese spider crab, Macrocheira kaempferi, is the largest living arthropod; fully grown it can reach a leg span of almost 4 m (13 feet), a body size of up to 37 cm (15 inches) and a weight of up to 20 kg (44... Binomial name Amblyrhynchus cristatus (Bell, 1825) The Marine Iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) is a species of iguana that has the unique ability among modern lizards to live and forage in the sea. ... Binomial name Camelus dromedarius Linnaeus, 1758 The Dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) is a large even-toed ungulate native to northern Africa and western Asia, and is the best-known member of the camel family. ... A Fin whale The term whale is ambiguous: it can refer to all cetaceans, to just the larger ones, or only to members of particular families within the order Cetacea. ... Binomial name Odobenus rosmarus (Linnaeus, 1758) Subspecies Walruses (from Dutch: wal meaning shore, and r(e)us meaning giant) are large semi-aquatic mammals that live in the cold Arctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. ... See: Sawfish is a window manager for Unix systems running X. Sawfish is a type of cartilaginous fish. ... Binomial name Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) The ocean sunfish (Mola mola) is a unique pelagic fish, perhaps the most massive bony fish in the world (but not the longest one; that honor probably goes to the Oarfish, known as the king of herrings). ... Species M. leonina M. angustirostris There are two species of elephant seal. ... Binomial name Hydrodamalis gigas (Zimmermann, 1780) Stellers Sea Cow (Hydrodamalis gigas) is an extinct large sirenian mammal formerly found near the Asiatic coast of the Bering Sea. ... Binomial name Dugong dugon (Müller, 1776) Dugongs (Dugong dugon) are the smallest members of the order Sirenia (which also includes the manatees and Stellers Sea Cow), with adults generally growing to less than 3 meters long. ... Species Trichechus inunguis Trichechus manatus Trichechus senegalensis Manatees (family Trichechidae, genus Trichechus) are large aquatic mammals sometimes known as sea cows. ... Bluefin tuna may mean any of several species of tuna: Northern Bluefin Tuna Thunnus thynnus Southern Bluefin Tuna Thunnus maccoyii Pacific Bluefin Tuna Thunnus orientalis This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Genera Istiophorus Makaira Tetrapturus See text for species. ... Families 11 in two suborders, see text. ... Binomial name Carcharodon carcharias (Linnaeus, 1758) Range (in blue) The great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, also known as white pointer, white shark, or white death, is an exceptionally large lamniform shark found in coastal surface waters in all major oceans. ... Binomial name Somniosus microcephalus Bloch & Schneider, 1801 The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), also known as Sleeper shark, Gurry shark, Ground shark or Gray shark, lives in the waters of the North Atlantic Ocean around Greenland and Iceland in depths to 2000 meters. ... Species Sphyrna (Sphyrna) lewini Sphyrna (Sphyrna) mokarran Sphyrna (Sphyrna) zygaena Sphyrna (Sphyrna) couardi, Sphyrna (Mesozygaena) corona Sphyrna (Platysqualus) media Sphyrna (Platysqualus) tiburo Sphyrna (Platysqualus) tudes The hammerhead shark (genus Sphyrna) is a member of the family Sphyrnidae. ... Binomial name Galeocerdo cuvier Péron & Lesueur 1822 Tiger shark range (in blue) The tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) is one of natures largest sharks. ... Species See text. ... Genera Agrostichthys Regalecus Oarfish are large, greatly elongated, pelagic lampridiform fish comprising the small family Regalecidae. ... Binomial name Manta birostris Dondorff, 1798 The manta ray, or giant manta (Manta birostris), is the largest of the rays, with the largest known specimen having been nearly 76 meters (250 ft) across its pectoral fins (or wings) and weighed in at 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). ... Binomial name Cetorhinus maximus (Gunnerus, 1765) The Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus), also known as the Bone Shark, is the second largest fish alive, after the Whale Shark. ... Binomial name Rhincodon typus (Smith, 1828) Range of whale shark The whale shark, Rhincodon typus, is a gentle and slow filter feeding shark that is the largest living fish species. ... Species Architeuthis dux ?Architeuthis hartingii ?Architeuthis japonica ?Architeuthis kirkii Architeuthis martensi ?Architeuthis physeteris Architeuthis sanctipauli ?Architeuthis stockii Giant squid, once believed to be mythical creatures, are squid of the Architeuthidae family, represented by as many as eight species of the genus Architeuthis. ... Binomial name Odobenus rosmarus (Linnaeus, 1758) Subspecies Walruses (from Dutch: wal meaning shore, and r(e)us meaning giant) are large semi-aquatic mammals that live in the cold Arctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. ... Binomial name Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774 The polar bear (Ursus maritimus), also known as the white bear, northern bear, or sea bear, is a large bear native to the Arctic. ... Binomial name Ovibos moschatus (Zimmermann, 1780) The Musk ox (Ovibos moschatus) is a bovine noted for its thick coat and for the strong odor of the male. ... Species M. leonina M. angustirostris There are two species of elephant seal. ... Binomial name Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758 Cattle are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. ... Binomial name Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758 Synonyms Sus domesticus The domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) is usually given the scientific name Sus scrofa, though some authors call it , reserving for the wild boar. ... Binomial name Ovis aries Linnaeus, 1758 The domestic sheep (Ovis aries), the most common species of the sheep genus (Ovis), is a woolly ruminant quadruped which probably descends from the wild mouflon of south-central and south-west Asia. ... horse, see Horse (disambiguation). ... The Giant Schnauzer is a large, powerful, compact breed of dog. ... The Great Dane is a breed of dog known for its large size and gentle personality. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Border Collie A Border Collie is a hard-working breed of herding dog that originated in the border country of England and Scotland. ...

See also

• Fauna
• Giant animals
• Bergmann's Rule
• List of megafauna recently discovered
• Pleistocene megafauna

Fauna is a collective term for animal life of any particular region or time. ... Some Giant animals are: Giant Rat, Giant Wolf, Cave Bear, Giant Squid, Colossal Squid, Condor, Irish Elk, Dinosaur (giant reptile), Giant Ant, Bird-Eating Spider, Teleoceras, Blue Whale (the largest animal on earth today), giant hare, giant owl, Elephant Bird or Moa, Giant Clam, Boa Constrictor, Giant Wombat, Giant Sloth... The large size of a polar bear allows it to radiate less heat in a cold climate. ... The following is a list of megafauna recently discovered by western science (with their respective date of discovery), but which may have been known to native peoples in some areas. ... Pleistocene megafauna is the term used to describe the larger species of mammals, birds and reptiles that lived on earth during the Pleistocene era. ...

External links

• A Requiem for North American overkill, Journal of Archaeological Science
• New carbon dates link climatic change with human colonization and Pleistocene extinctions: Nature
• First Victims of the Human-Caused Extinction