If you need new travel ideas, here is a unique way of compiling a list of travel destinations – seeing the biggest things in the world. Whether you want to add sightings of the biggest animals to your travel list or some of the world’s biggest places, why not start here with some of these ideas, which will take you to all corners of the globe?
Biggest Land Animal
The African elephant is the biggest land animal in the world. It is divided into two subspecies: the savannah and the forest elephant. The former can be found in savannahs in countries south of the Sahara Desert; while the forest subspecies live in the dense rainforests of west and central Africa. Habitat loss is one of the key threats facing elephants. They are currently threatened by habitat degradation due to climate change. Other risks include habitat loss due to human conflict, as well as poaching for ivory. At the turn of the 20th century there were millions of African elephants roaming free. Today there are 450 000 – 700 000 left.
Biggest Marine Animal
The Blue whale is the biggest animal in the ocean, as well as in the world. They find sustenance from the ocean in the form of shrimp-like animals called krill. Their namesake is derived from the fact that they look blue underwater, even though they look blue-grey on the surface. These whales are some of the loudest animals in the world. They create a sequence of pulses and moans which can be heard by other Blue whales up to 1 600 kilometres away. Excessive hunting by whalers in the beginning of the 20th century drove them to the brink of extinction. In 1966 they came under protection by the International Whaling Commission of that year; however, their recovery since then has been minor. They also have predators in the water, such as sharks and, at times, even killer whales.
Biggest Bird
The ostrich is the biggest bird in the world, and it is flightless; however, they are fast runners. The male and female can be distinguished by their feathers – the male’s being black and white and the female’s brown and white. Ostriches’ diets consist of grass, succulents, berries, seeds and insects. They swallow pebbles with their food in order to grind down the harder food. Most wild ostriches are found in the western, eastern and southern parts of Africa, with many on protected game reserves, and are well adapted to living in dry conditions.
Biggest Reptile
The biggest reptile in the world is the Saltwater crocodile, growing to a length of over six metres. In Australia, they have been nicknamed “salties.” These crocodiles can be found in the brackish and freshwater regions of eastern India, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia. What’s more, they are excellent swimmers and have been found as far out as the Sea of Japan. “Salties” have a great appetite and feed on water buffalo, monkeys, wild boar and sharks. They are powerful predators, surging out of the water with their strong tails and grabbing their prey. The victims are then dragged into the water and drowned. Although the animal is not at risk, it does face threats such as poaching and habitat loss.
Biggest Island
Greenland is the biggest island in the world. It is situated at the point where the Atlantic meets the Arctic Ocean and, as can be imagined, has an arctic climate. Despite the cold and polar darkness, Greenland still gets a lot of light, and it is never completely dark. The Northern Lights appear all year round; while the midnight sun is encountered north of the Arctic Circle. The country has a home-rule government under Danish rule, and is entitled to send two representatives to the Danish Parliament. In the surrounding waters, Blue whales, Fin whales, humpbacks, narwhal, White whales, Lesser rorquals, Sperm whales and Pilot whales can be found.
Biggest Waterfall
The topic of the biggest waterfall is slightly contentious, because it depends whether you are referring to height or breadth. The tallest waterfall in the world is Angel Falls (also known as Kerepakupai merú) in Canaima National Park, in the Gran Sabana region of Bolivar State in Venezuela. The biggest waterfall according to breadth, however, is Iguacu Falls on the border of Argentina and Brazil. Sometimes Victoria Falls takes the first prize. Located on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, it might not be the tallest or the widest waterfall in the world, but it has the world’s biggest sheet of falling water.
Biggest Country
The biggest country in the world is Russia. This is according to land area, and not population. Russia is located in Eurasia and shares land borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, and North Korea. The Russian economy ranks as the eighth largest in the world by nominal GDP. It is a country rich in mineral and energy resources. Russia is home to a great and diverse range of wildlife, from mammals such as bears, seals, hedgehogs, wolves and deer to birds such as flamingos, swans, geese, eagles and owls.
Biggest City
Tokyo, the capital city of Japan, has the largest metropolitan area in the world, making it the world’s biggest city. However, although it is referred to as a city, it is officially known as a “metropolitan prefecture.” Originally established as a fishing village, called Edo, it became fortified in 1457. In 1943 the City of Tokyo and the Tokyo Prefecture merged. Tokyo is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, as well as being home to the Japanese Imperial Family. Tokyo has many museums, theatres and music venues, and has a long and rich cultural history. This can also be seen in the form of festivals, parades and its excellent cuisine.
Biggest National Park
The biggest national park in the world is the Northeast Greenland National Park. It was established in 1974, and today protects the interior and north-eastern coast of Greenland. It was the first national park to be created in the Kingdom of Denmark and is Greenland’s only national park. The interior of the park is part of the Greenland Ice Sheet, but there are big ice-free areas along the coast and on Peary Land in the north. The mammals that can be found in the park include Musk oxen, Polar bears, walruses, Arctic foxes, stoats, Collared lemmings and Arctic hares. There are also various marine mammals such as Ringed and Bearded seals, Harp seals, Hooded seals, Narwhal and Beluga whales. Bird species include the Great northern diver, Barnacle goose, Pink-footed goose, Common eider, King eider, Gyrfalcon, Snowy owl, sanderling, ptarmigan and the raven.
Biggest Game Reserve in Africa
The biggest game reserve in the world is the Selous Game Reserve, situated in Tanzania. It covers 50 000 square kilometres and is one of the largest protected areas in Africa. In this reserve you will find vast numbers of elephants, Black rhinos, cheetahs, giraffes, hippos and crocodiles, amongst many others. The reserve’s diversity is also evident in the various forms of habitat present such as woodlands, grasslands, riverine forests and swamps.
Originally published on Safaris Tour.