The Tallest Animals On Land Besides Giraffes

The tallest animals on land dominate their habitats with remarkable height and strength. From the towering giraffe, the world's tallest animal, to massive creatures like the American bison, Shire horse, and camels, these giants play vital ecological roles. 

This article explores the tallest animals, their adaptations, and how they thrive in the wild. Aside from known tall animals, the list consists mainly of bears, bovines, deer, and even (flightless) birds!

10 Tallest Land Animals In Order of Height

Here is the list of tall animals that you should know, arranged by height:

1. Giraffes (18 feet)

The giraffe, a long-necked, hoofed animal with long legs and brown, irregular coat patterns, is the tallest land animal in the world. A male giraffe, also known as a bull, is over 18 feet tall, while a female giraffe is about 14 feet tall.

A giraffe is one of the largest land animals on Earth. Its body weight is an average of 1000 kg, with male giraffes weighing 1,930 kg and female giraffes weighing 1,180 kg. A tapering head with 2-5 short horns is on the giraffe's long neck. The horns are usually bigger on the male giraffe.

Being one of the largest animal species on Earth has advantages and disadvantages. Giraffes' major problem is standing up after lying down with their legs folded under their entire body. This is challenging because its forelegs are extra long. 

Giraffes have to unfold the first half of their legs and swing their heads backward to take the weight of their forelegs. Then, swings its neck forward again to take the weight off its hind legs—repeating this motion two more times is how the giraffe can stand up.

As heavy as the giraffe's neck might be, it also has perks. Its long neck helps it eat leaves from tall, giant trees. The giraffe doesn't have to compete with other animals that feed on lower foliage. The species also has a long tongue that helps it reach food on tree tops, with the tongue stretching up to 45 cm long.

You will find most giraffes in East Africa in natural reserves like the Serengeti National Park and the Amboseli National Park. You can also find some in South Africa and Northern Nigeria.

2. African Bush Elephants (13 feet)

African bush elephants are the largest species of African elephant, with the second species being the African savanna elephant. These species are the largest and tallest animals on Earth. Bush elephants reach heights between 10.5 and 13 feet at the shoulders. 

Their body mass ranges between 4,500 kg and 6,100 kg. On average, male elephants are 20% bigger than females. On record, the largest bush elephant on the planet weighed 10,886 kg. 

These giant animals eat about 169 kilograms of vegetation and drink 190 liters of water daily. Their diet consists of grass, twigs, roots, plants, fruits, tree bark, and soil, a primary source of minerals.  

They also have long ears, about 6 feet long and 4 feet wide. Large ears help elephants cool down in hot weather because they hold large blood vessels, which cool them down via blood circulation. 

These elephant species used to roam in sub-Saharan Africa. However, with the drastic decline in their populations, they are now scattered throughout 23 African countries with forests, deserts, and savanna regions.

Bush elephants were registered as endangered in 2020, mainly because of poaching. Humans hunt these amazing elephants for their ivory tusks.

3. Dromedary Camels (11 feet)

Dromedary camels, or Arabian camels,  are a semi-domesticated camel species characterized by a long-curved neck, deep-narrow chest, and one hump. They are about 7 to 11 feet tall and 5.9 to 6.6 feet tall at the shoulders. The camels also weigh 400 to 600 kg.

Male dromedary camels are 10% heavier than their female counterparts. They are also taller at the shoulders, measuring about 5.9 to 6.5 feet tall. These tall animals live in arid areas in the Middle East, Northern India, and Africa.

Dromedary camels have adaptations that help them survive the arid deserts. One of their adaptations is a double row of eyelashes to prevent dust and blowing sand from obstructing their vision. 

Dromedary camels have a relatively long life span, lasting about 40 years in the wild and 50 years in captivity. They survive on a diet of thorny plants, dry grasses, saltbush, and other desert plants. The camels' height makes eating leaves hanging 11 feet high easy.

Fun Fact: Camels can survive over 30% water loss, which is dangerous to other mammals at 15%.  

4. Asian Elephants (11 feet)

Next on our list of tallest animals is the Asian elephant, the largest land mammal on the Asian continent. They live in dry to wet forest and grassland habitats across South and Southeast Asia. Male Asian elephants are about 11 feet tall at the shoulder, with sexual dimorphism occurring in the females, making them about 8.9 feet tall.

These tall, gray giants weigh between 3,500 kg and 6,000 kg, while female Asian elephants weigh between 2,000 and 3,500 kg. You can differentiate between a male and a female Asian elephant by looking at whether it has tusks. Female species do not grow tusks; only male elephants have an elongation of the second upper incisor.

This elephant species consumes over 100 species of plants, including sugarcane, bamboo, tree roots, fruits, seeds, flowers, grains, crops, and tree bark. While adults' overall size helps them defend against predators, young elephants can not protect themselves against Bengal tigers. 

5. Polar Bears (10 feet)

Polar bears, when on all fours, stand about 4 to 5 feet at the shoulder, short compared to their upright height. When they rear up, adult males stretch to 8 to 10 feet tall. The record, as researchers at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game reported, belongs to a polar bear found in 1960 at 11 feet 1 inch standing upright.

They are also the planet's largest land carnivores, but their future is at risk. Rapid ice loss from climate change has left these Arctic giants facing extreme threats and dwindling hunting grounds.

6. Ostriches (9 feet)

Ostriches are the tallest birds found on land in the world. These flightless birds reach an average height of 9 feet, with males bigger than their female counterparts. Male ostriches weigh over 150 kg and are over 9 feet tall, with their necks making up most of their height.

Ostriches have two long legs with strides measuring 10 to 16 feet long. These legs help them sprint in short bursts of up to 70 km/h, allowing them to escape from predators quickly. They can also maintain a steady speed of 50 km/h.

Although ostriches do not fly, they use their heavy wings to balance when running. This creates a rudder-like effect, helping them switch directions mid-sprint. They also use their wings to keep cool during hot weather by flapping their feathers like fans. 

Ostriches live in groups (a dozen ostriches per group) in southern and eastern Africa's grasslands, savannas, and shrublands. They can also survive in open woodlands and deserts. 

Ostriches also lay the largest eggs in the world. The whitish eggs weigh about 1.35 kg and are 6 inches long and 5 inches in diameter. Female ostriches sit on the eggs during the day to incubate them, while the males take over at night.

7. Brown Bears (8 feet)

The brown bear, also known as a grizzly bear, is one of the tallest animals in the world. It prefers dense cover where it can stay sheltered during the day. It includes many habitat options, including the tundra, alpine meadows, mountain woodlands, and forests.

Grizzly bears are about 3 to 5 feet long on four legs. However, when upright, they can reach heights of up to 8 feet. The Kodiak bear is a large subspecies that can stand up to 10 feet.

Male bears are about 10% larger than their female counterparts. An average male brown bear weighs 389 kg, while a female weighs 207 kg. Males can weigh up to 780 kg, though. 

Their overall size deters predators from attacking bears. It is why they live up to 20 to 30 years in the wild.

However, brown bear cubs are prone to attacks from mountain lions, wolves, humans, and other bears. Brown grizzlies can be found in western Europe, Palestine, eastern Siberia, the Himalayan region, Hokkaido, and the Atlas Mountains of northwest Africa. 

8. Alaskan Moose (7 feet)

The moose is the largest deer in the deer family, with the Alaskan moose being the largest. Male Alaskan moose. Their height can reach up to 7 feet at the shoulders. That doesn't include the antlers, which can reach up to 5 feet tall.

Its diet consists of shrubs, moss, and pine cones – all of which are abundant in its cold tundra habitat. And even though they tower over many animals, they also consume aquatic plants, especially during summer when it is most nutrient-dense.

The Alaskan moose is native to Alaska, North America. Its strong shoulder blades and legs protect it against predators like grizzly bears, wolves, and black bears. During the breeding season, females' gestational period lasts approximately 230 days, primarily due to their large size.

Fun Fact: The North American region refers to them as moose, while Europe calls them elk. 

9. American Bisons (6.5 feet)

The American bison is next on our list of the tallest animals on land. It is North America's largest mammal and America's national mammal. You can recognize them by the hump over the front shoulders and slim hind legs. An American bison is about 5.5 to 6.5 feet tall from the legs to its hump and 9 to 12.5 feet tall past the hump.

Females do not have the large size of their male counterparts; female American bison are 7 to 10 feet tall, with a leg-to-hump length of 5 feet. Bison are also heavy animals, weighing an average of 800 to 1,088 kilograms. 

Wild bison herds live in some areas of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories, Ontario, and Saskatchewan in Canada. You can also find them in Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, South Dakota, and Utah. 

They live up to 20 years in the wild, mainly because they do not have natural predators. However, young, old, or weak bison can easily become prey to bears, mountain lions, or wolves. 

10. Shire Horses (6.5 feet)

The shire horse is another animal on our list of the tallest animals on Earth. It is a daft horse breed in England. It is a descendant of the British great horse, which used to carry men weighing 400 pounds into battle. The shire horse was also used as a farm animal for heavy hauling.

It can be as tall as 6.5 feet, and that doesn't account for the full height of the horse's head. Weighing around 2,000 pounds, it has a massive build and coarse hair, called feathers, on its hind legs. 

The feathers are typically brown, black, chestnut, or gray. Their legs require constant brushing, occasional washing, and drying when wet to prevent the development of infection caused by fungus and bacteria.

More Tall Creatures Standing Above Five Feet

• African Forest Elephant (10 ft)
• Indian Bison (Gaur) (7.2 ft)
• American Black Bear (7 ft)
• Yak (6.7 ft)
• Spectacled Bear (6.5 ft)
• Water Buffalo (6.2 ft)
• Asian Black Bear (6.2 ft)
• Sloth Bear (6.2 ft)
• Southern Cassowary (6 ft)
• Javan Rhinoceros (5.5 ft)
• American Elk (Wapiti) (5 ft)

Conclusion    

The tallest animals on land, like giraffes and elephants, dominate the world with their impressive height. However, despite their towering heights, some species face severe threats, with certain populations endangered due to habitat loss and poaching. 

Tragically, past giants, such as the extinct Paraceratherium, with rhinos and tapirs as their closest relatives, remind us of the fragility of Earth's tallest animals. Conservation is vital to protect these majestic creatures¹.