Animal facts, in numbers
How long they live, how much they weigh, how fast they move and how threatened they are — for 214 animals.
Browse by class
Mammals
Warm-blooded, fur-bearing animals that nurse their young.
98 animals
Birds
Feathered, egg-laying vertebrates, including the fastest animals alive.
33 animals
Reptiles
Turtles, crocodilians, snakes and lizards.
24 animals
Amphibians
Frogs, toads, salamanders and newts.
10 animals
Fish
Sharks, rays and bony fish, from goldfish to whale sharks.
23 animals
Invertebrates
Insects, spiders, mollusks, crustaceans, jellyfish and more.
26 animals
Records and rankings
Fastest Animals in the World
1. Peregrine Falcon — about 320 km/h
Fastest Land Animals
1. Cheetah — 93–104 km/h
Fastest Birds
1. Peregrine Falcon — about 320 km/h
Fastest Sea Animals and Fish
1. Orca — up to 56 km/h
Longest-Living Animals
1. Greenland Shark — an estimated 250–500 years
Shortest-Living Animals
1. Luna Moth — 7–10 days as an adult
Longest-Living Mammals
1. Bowhead Whale — 100–200+ years
Heaviest Animals in the World
1. Blue Whale — 100–150 tonnes
Popular comparisons
Lion vs TigerCat vs DogAlligator vs CrocodileCheetah vs LeopardTurtle vs TortoiseFrog vs ToadRabbit vs HareEagle vs HawkButterfly vs MothBee vs WaspSeal vs Sea LionAfrican vs Asian ElephantGorilla vs ChimpanzeeDolphin vs WhaleGrizzly Bear vs Polar BearJaguar vs Leopard All comparisons
Most looked-up animals
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cat Felis catus |
12–18 years | 3.5–5 kg (8–11 lb) | 48 km/h (30 mph) | Domestic |
| Dog Canis familiaris |
10–13 years | 1.5–90 kg (3–200 lb) | 24–72 km/h (15–45 mph) | Domestic |
| Lion Panthera leo |
10–14 years | 120–190 kg (265–420 lb) | 80 km/h (50 mph) | VU |
| Tiger Panthera tigris |
10–15 years | 75–260 kg (165–575 lb) | 49–65 km/h (30–40 mph) | EN |
| African Elephant Loxodonta africana |
60–70 years | 2,700–6,000 kg (6,000–13,200 lb) | 25–40 km/h (15–25 mph) | EN |
| Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus |
80–90 years | 100–150 tonnes (110–165 US tons) | over 32 km/h (20 mph) in bursts | EN |
| Great White Shark Carcharodon carcharias |
an estimated 40–70 years | 520–1,100 kg (1,150–2,400 lb) | about 40 km/h (25 mph) | VU |
| Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus |
10–12 years | 21–65 kg (46–143 lb) | 93–104 km/h (58–65 mph) | VU |
| Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis |
20–25 years | 800–1,200 kg (1,760–2,650 lb) | 60 km/h (37 mph) | VU |
| Gray Wolf Canis lupus |
6–8 years | 23–65 kg (50–145 lb) | 50–60 km/h (31–37 mph) | LC |
| Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus |
20–30 years | 3–6.3 kg (6.6–14 lb) | 56–70 km/h (35–43 mph) | LC |
| Polar Bear Ursus maritimus |
15–18 years | 150–700 kg (330–1,540 lb) | 40 km/h (25 mph) | VU |
| Western Gorilla Gorilla gorilla |
35–40 years | 68–180 kg (150–400 lb) | 32–40 km/h (20–25 mph) | CR |
| Horse Equus caballus |
25–30 years | 380–1,000 kg (840–2,200 lb) | 40–70 km/h (25–44 mph) | Domestic |
| Orca Orcinus orca |
30–50 years (females up to 80–90) | 3,000–6,000 kg (6,600–13,200 lb) | up to 56 km/h (35 mph) | DD |
| Western Honey Bee Apis mellifera |
5–7 weeks (summer workers); queens 2–5 years | about 100 mg (0.004 oz) | 24–32 km/h (15–20 mph) | DD |
| King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah |
about 15–20 years | 5–9 kg (11–20 lb) | — | VU |
| Green Sea Turtle Chelonia mydas |
60–70 years | 110–190 kg (240–420 lb) | 2.5–3 km/h (1.5–1.9 mph) cruising | LC |
| Axolotl Ambystoma mexicanum |
10–15 years | 60–225 g (2–8 oz) | — | CR |
| Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus |
10–15 years | 0.33–1.5 kg (0.7–3.3 lb) | about 320 km/h (200 mph) in a dive | LC |
| Galápagos Tortoise Chelonoidis niger |
100–150 years (estimated) | 110–270 kg (250–600 lb) | about 0.3 km/h (0.2 mph) | VU |
| Monarch Butterfly Danaus plexippus |
2–6 weeks (summer adults) to 6–9 months (migratory generation) | 0.25–0.75 g (0.009–0.026 oz) | — | LC |
| Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus |
8–12 years | 1–7 kg (2–15 lb) | 40–56 km/h (25–35 mph) | EN |
| Koala Phascolarctos cinereus |
10–15 years | 4–15 kg (9–33 lb) | about 10 km/h (6 mph) | VU |
Fact charts
About the numbers
Every animal page answers the same set of questions with typical adult figures: lifespan in the wild and in human care, weight, height or length, top speed, gestation or incubation period, diet, habitat and IUCN Red List status. Taxonomy and conservation status are cross-checked against Wikidata, and each page links to its sources.
Animals vary. Males and females often differ, island populations differ from mainland ones, and the most quotable number is not always the best supported. Where sources disagree we use the conservative figure and say so. More about our method.