Tallest Animals in the World
Number one is the giraffe at 4.3–5.7 m (14–18.7 ft) (height), followed by the african elephant at 2.5–4 m (8.2–13 ft) and the asian elephant at 2–3 m (6.6–9.8 ft).
| # | Animal | Height | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Giraffe Mammal |
4.3–5.7 m (14–18.7 ft) | height |
| 2 | African Elephant Mammal |
2.5–4 m (8.2–13 ft) | shoulder height |
| 3 | Asian Elephant Mammal |
2–3 m (6.6–9.8 ft) | shoulder height |
| 4 | Common Ostrich Bird |
1.7–2.7 m (5.6–8.9 ft) | height |
| 5 | Moose Mammal |
1.4–2.1 m (4.6–6.9 ft) | shoulder height |
| 6 | Dromedary Camel Mammal |
1.7–2.0 m (5.6–6.6 ft) | shoulder height |
| 7 | American Bison Mammal |
1.5–1.9 m (5–6.2 ft) | shoulder height |
| 8 | Emu Bird |
1.5–1.9 m (4.9–6.2 ft) | height |
| 9 | White Rhinoceros Mammal |
1.5–1.85 m (4.9–6.1 ft) | shoulder height |
| 10 | Bactrian Camel Mammal |
1.6–1.8 m (5.2–5.9 ft) | shoulder height |
| 11 | Black Rhinoceros Mammal |
1.4–1.8 m (4.6–5.9 ft) | shoulder height |
| 12 | Horse Mammal |
1.4–1.8 m (14–18 hands, 4.6–5.9 ft) | shoulder height |
| 13 | Western Gorilla Mammal |
1.2–1.8 m (4–6 ft) | height |
| 14 | African Buffalo Mammal |
1.0–1.7 m (3.3–5.6 ft) | shoulder height |
| 15 | Hippopotamus Mammal |
1.3–1.65 m (4.3–5.4 ft) | shoulder height |
| 16 | Okapi Mammal |
about 1.5 m (4.9 ft) | shoulder height |
| 17 | Polar Bear Mammal |
1.0–1.6 m (3.3–5.2 ft) | shoulder height |
| 18 | Red Kangaroo Mammal |
1.0–1.6 m (3.3–5.2 ft) | height |
| 19 | Chimpanzee Mammal |
1.2–1.5 m (4–5 ft) | height |
| 20 | Cow Mammal |
1.2–1.5 m (4–5 ft) | shoulder height |
| 21 | Donkey Mammal |
0.9–1.5 m (3–5 ft) | shoulder height |
| 22 | Elk Mammal |
1.3–1.5 m (4.3–4.9 ft) | shoulder height |
| 23 | Greater Flamingo Bird |
1.1–1.5 m (3.6–4.9 ft) | height |
| 24 | Reindeer Mammal |
0.85–1.5 m (2.8–4.9 ft) | shoulder height |
| 25 | Blue Wildebeest Mammal |
1.15–1.45 m (3.8–4.8 ft) | shoulder height |
About this ranking
The giraffe is the tallest living animal by a wide margin, with adult males reaching well over five meters to the top of the head. This ranking mixes two kinds of measurement, and each row says which one applies: total standing height for animals such as giraffes, ostriches and penguins, and shoulder height for four-legged mammals such as elephants, moose and horses.
How it is ranked: Animals measured by standing height or shoulder height, ranked by the upper end of the typical adult range in meters. Animals measured by body length are in the longest animals list instead. The list covers the 214 animals in the AnimalStats database, not every species on Earth.
The top five in detail
1. Giraffe — 4.3–5.7 m (14–18.7 ft)
Giraffes stand 4.3–5.7 m (14–18.7 ft) tall, making them the tallest animals on Earth. Adult males usually reach 5–5.5 m and females 4.3–4.8 m. The neck is about 2 m long yet has only seven vertebrae, the same number as a human's, each one greatly elongated.
2. African Elephant — 2.5–4 m (8.2–13 ft)
African elephants stand 2.5–4 m (8.2–13 ft) tall at the shoulder. Bulls average about 3.2 m and cows about 2.6 m, and bulls keep growing for most of their lives. The ears alone can be up to about 2 m long, and tusks of old bulls can exceed 2 m.
3. Asian Elephant — 2–3 m (6.6–9.8 ft)
Asian elephants stand 2–3 m (6.6–9.8 ft) tall at the shoulder. Bulls average about 2.75 m and cows about 2.4 m. Unlike African elephants, the highest point of an Asian elephant's body is the top of its head rather than its shoulders.
4. Common Ostrich — 1.7–2.7 m (5.6–8.9 ft)
Common ostriches stand 1.7–2.7 m (5.6–8.9 ft) tall, making them the tallest birds on Earth. Males typically reach 2.1–2.7 m and females 1.7–2 m. Nearly half of the height is neck, and the eye, about 5 cm across, is the largest of any land vertebrate.
5. Moose — 1.4–2.1 m (4.6–6.9 ft)
A moose stands 1.4–2.1 m (4.6–6.9 ft) tall at the shoulder, making it the tallest mammal in North America and Europe. Body length is 2.4–3.1 m (7.9–10.2 ft). A large bull's antlers can spread 1.8 m (6 ft) from tip to tip and weigh around 30 kg.