Science continues to search for giant animals, so what animals has it found so far?
Throughout history, humans have found giant animals alive and also in the form of fossils. In this article, we will take a tour of the most important scientific discoveries.
Tremendous creatures found today
In the depths of the ocean there are still species that humanity has not yet discovered. There may be one or more giant animals inside. However, scientists did not need to dive deep to discover the huge creatures. In 2011, an unknown species of whale was found in New Zealand.
The new species was identified in 2021 as a new member of the beaked whale family. It is difficult to catch in its habitat because it is very good at diving into the depths of the sea. Researchers have only been able to study the remains of that lone whale stranded on a New Zealand beach.
It is true that the developments in studies of the depths of the ocean have been many, but they do not compare to what scientists have been able to discover on Earth.
huge wild animals
Science has always been more adept at spotting giant wild animals. Among the megalithic species is the African elephant. It is 4 meters high and weighs 11 tons.
Certainly, there are no longer discoveries of large wild animals. The latest discoveries come from underground. Thanks to geological investigations, scientists were able to discover fossil samples of giant animals that once walked our planet.
The main giants discovered are groups of sauropod dinosaurs called titanosaurs. These are extinct creatures millions of years ago that were distinguished by being herbivores. These elephants had a very long neck and weighed more than 7 African elephants.
The largest titanosaurs found to date are those that inhabited present-day Argentine Patagonia. One believed to be larger and heavier than the titanosaur was argentinosaurus. They found the fossils of this animal in 1993, but they were just a few bones. They estimate that these animals were 35 meters long and 77 tons in weight, according to the Natural History Museum in London.
They also found another specimen that rivaled the Argentinosaurus in size. We are talking about Mayor of Batagutitan It was found in 2014. It is believed to weigh 66 tons and is 37 meters long.
A new titanosaur was found in 2021 and researchers believe this will surpass the titanosaur found previously. Excavations are continuing and there will be news of this specimen soon.
latest discovery
In 2020, scientists discovered what could be the longest animal in history. They found the creature in a deep-sea valley near Australia. It is a siphonophore measuring about 45 metres. This is made up of many small animals called zooids.
These types of animals are associated with each other to form a large colony, in the same way that corals are formed. Siphonophores live at a depth of 700 to 1000 meters below the surface and are distinguished by swimming throughout the ocean.
references:
Are there any giant animals that humans haven’t discovered yet?: https://www.livescience.com/giant-animals-humans-have-not-discovered