About AnimalStats
AnimalStats is a free reference that answers the questions people most often ask about animals — how long they live, how big they get, how fast they are, what they eat, and whether they are endangered — with the number first and the explanation after. It has no accounts and is built to load fast on a phone.
Where the data comes from
- Wikidata (CC0): scientific names, taxonomy and IUCN status identifiers for every animal are fetched from Wikidata and used to cross-check each record.
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: conservation category and population trend. Each animal page links to the Red List search for that species so you can see the current assessment.
- Animal Diversity Web (University of Michigan) and the AnAge database of animal ageing and longevity: lifespans, body sizes and reproductive figures.
- Wikipedia, plus species accounts from organizations such as NOAA Fisheries, the Smithsonian's National Zoo and major natural history museums, for descriptions and context.
How to read the figures
- Figures are typical adult ranges, not records. Record individuals are mentioned in the text and labeled as records.
- Lifespan is given for the wild and, where known, in human care, which is usually longer.
- Size is shoulder height for four-legged mammals, standing height for upright animals, total length for whales, fish and reptiles, and sometimes wingspan; every figure says which.
- Top speeds are the least reliable animal statistics. Where a famous figure is not supported by modern measurements we use the conservative one and explain why.
- Gestation applies to live-bearing animals; for egg layers we give the incubation or egg development period instead.
- Rankings cover only the animals in this database, not every species on Earth.
Limits
Animals vary by sex, age, population and season, and sources disagree. Red List assessments are revised as new surveys come in, and taxonomy changes. AnimalStats is a general reference, not a substitute for the primary literature, and should not be relied on for veterinary, safety or legal decisions.
Corrections and contact
If you find a figure that disagrees with a current authoritative source, please tell us: info@animalstats.org. Include the page and the source and we will check it.