Our Spectacular Planet

The largest bat species is the Giant golden-crowned flying fox (Acerodon jubatus), a rare fruit bat and endangered species that is part of the megabat family. Despite its name and superficial appearance, it is not closely related to the fox. It is active at night and can fly long distances up to 40 kilometers while hunting for food, eating a variety of fruits. Its favorite food is the ripe fig. Called the ...

The Eastern Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri) is a subspecies of Eastern Gorilla that is now only found in the forests of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. This subspecies is more robust in appearance than the Western Lowland Gorilla, having longer teeth, a stronger jaw and a broader torso. They have black coats which in males, like other gorillas, turns silver at the back as the animal matures. The Eastern Lowland ...

The Etruscan Shrew (Suncus etruscus) , also known as the Etruscan Pygmy Shrew or the White-toothed Pygmy Shrew is the smallest known mammal by mass, weighing only about 2 grams!   The smallest mature specimens of this shrew are thought to weigh about 1.3 grams and measure 36 mm (1.42 inches) long. This small mammal is 60 mm from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail; the tail ...

The Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is believed to be the largest animal to have ever lived. The maximum recorded weight was 190 tonnes (209 tons) and 30 m (100 ft) long, while longer ones, up to 33.3 m (110 ft), have been recorded but not weighed.