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Horns are one of the most conspicuous and impressive devices developed by some mammals in the animal kingdom. Many animals raise horns, including cows, goats, buffaloes, antelopes, rhinos, and deer. Animals use their horns for a variety of reasons. Some use their horns to protect themselves from predators, while others use them to fight off members of their own species. In addition to attacking and defending, animals can use their horns to dig food in the soil or peel bark from trees. They can also be present during mating, and the blood vessels inside the horns help maintain the animal’s body temperature. In most species, only males grew horns, but in a select few species, females also grew horns. Horns come in all shapes and sizes, from small and straight to long and twisted. However, which creatures are among the largest horned animals in the world?
In this article, we will discuss 10 animals with the largest horns in the world. For our measurements, we will take into account the length of the horn, as well as its width and weight. However, the length and span of the horn will be the main factors for our determination. So hack the roulette wheel because we are about to discover 10 animals with the largest horns in the world.
No. 10. Ankole-watusi cattle
Ankole Watusi is a relatively new breed of livestock. All Ankole Watusi are descended from African Sanga cattle. Their name is a combination of two terms. In Uganda, they are called Ankole, and in Burundi, the Tutsi people call them Watusi. However, the modern breed did not emerge until the 1960s as a result of the breeding of Sanga cattle and the Canadian domestic breed. Due to their novelty, they remain rare, with only about 1,500 members as of 2016. Most Ankole-Watusis are reddish brown in color and may have white specks or spots. Men usually weigh between 992 pounds and 1609 pounds, while women weigh significantly less. By far their most distinctive feature is their large horns. Ankole Watusi have the largest horn of all livestock breeds. Their spread can reach 40.7 inches, while individual antlers can reach 37.5 inches in length.
# 9: Alpine ibex
The Alpine ibex, also known as Steinbock, Capra ibex or simply ibex, is a wild species of ibex. They are common throughout the European Alps, although they were almost extinct in the 19th century. Although they communicate, they tend to come together in groups based on age and gender. Usually males are 35 to 40 inches tall at the shoulders and weigh between 148 and 258 pounds. Their coat looks brownish gray and thick, which allows them to live at high altitudes. Both males and females of alpine mountain goats have horns that grow, bend backward and numerous ridges form along the length. However, the horns of males grow much larger. In their longest form, they can reach 39 inches in length from base to tip. Among the animals with the largest horns in the world, male alpine ibexes are most likely to use their horns in duels for potential mates.
# 8: Addax
Addax, also known as the white antelope or winnorn antelope, is part of the spiral horned antelope group. Despite being endemic to the Sahara Desert, few remain in the wild due to uncontrolled hunting. As a result, the IUCN lists them as endangered, and most of the remaining members now live in zoos or nature reserves. Typically, males are 41 to 45 inches tall and weigh 220 to 276 pounds, while females are smaller. Their coat changes throughout the year, from gray-brown in winter to white or light in summer. Although this addax is almost extinct, it remains on the list of animals with the largest horns in the world. Both males and females develop horns, and they bend in and out with 1-2 loops. Female horns usually grow from 22 to 31 inches in length, while male horns can reach 43 inches in length.
# 7: Scimitar Oryx
The scimitar oryx is one of four existing species of oryx found throughout Africa. The scimitar oryx, also known as the saber-horned oryx, was virtually extinct in the wild by 2000. However, a small number still live in closely monitored reserves and zoos around the world. Unlike other oryx, scimitar oryx lacks a dark face and markings on their legs, and their horns are curved rather than straight. They have a mostly white or beige coat, which helps them stay cool in the hot desert sun. In their highest condition, they reach 3.3 feet in height, with males slightly larger than females. In both females and males, the horns can reach 47 inches in length. While classified as straight-horned antelopes, the Scimitar Oryx has sharply curved horns. It is from this curve that they got their name, since their horns are like scimitars.
# 6: moose
Also known as wapiti, the elk is the second largest member of the deer family after the elk. They are common in the forests of North America, as well as in parts of Central and East Asia. The name “wapiti” is a Shawnee and Cree word that roughly translates to “white croup.” This refers to their coat, which is off-white or beige from neck to neck. Meanwhile, a thick shaggy mane of dark brown hair covers their neck and usually matches their complexion. Male moose can reach 4 feet 11 inches in height and weigh up to 1,300 pounds. Only male moose grow antlers that can grow up to 1 inch per day until fully developed. In their largest size, they can reach 48 inches in length and point to point, and weigh about 40 pounds per horn. During the mating season, males will use their antlers to fight other moose to gain mating opportunities.
# 5: Caribou
Caribou, or reindeer as they are also called, are among the top half of the animals with the largest antlers in the world. They are common throughout North America, Northern Europe and Siberia, although the IUCN lists several populations as endangered. Most caribou live in herds, and while some migrate, others remain in place year-round. Their coat is usually gray-brown, with a thicker mane around the neck. Caribou subspecies vary in size, with the boreal forest caribou generally being the largest. Both male and female caribou grow horns, although the size and presence of horns vary by subspecies. As they grow, the horns become covered with thick velvet, which falls off as soon as they stop growing. Of all deer species, caribou have the largest antlers in comparison to their bodies. In full size, their horns can be up to 39 inches and their length is 53 inches.
# 4: markhor
Markhur, or the king pin, as it is sometimes called, is a species of wild goats that live in Central Asia. In Persian, the word markhor is translated as “slayer of snakes” because of the legends that they kill and eat snakes. They live in mountain forests and shrubs, and their diet varies between grasses and woods depending on the season. While males of Markhor live alone outside the mating season, females and young live in small herds. Their coat appears light brown or black, and its length changes throughout the year. On average, they are 26 to 45 inches tall and weigh 71 to 243 pounds. Although both males and females grow horns, male horns grow much larger. The horns join at the head and curl tightly up and out. When straightened, male horns can reach 63 inches in length, while female horns are much smaller.
# 3: Great Need
Greater Kudu is another member of the spiral horned antelope group along with shrubs, canna and addax. It is one of two types of kudu, the other is the lesser lesser kudu. They are common throughout eastern and southern Africa, although some populations are threatened by habitat loss and poaching. Large kudu have a slender body and long legs. Their coat is brownish gray or reddish brown, with 4-12 white stripes along the body. One of the largest species of antelope, males reach 63 inches in height and weigh between 420 and 694 pounds. In addition to beards, males also grow long horns containing two to three curls. When measured along a curve, their horns can range in length from 47 to 74 inches.
# 2: moose
Elk are the largest living species of deer and one of the largest antlers in the world. Elks live in North America, as well as in parts of Poland, Kazakhstan and Russia, where they are called moose. Unlike most deer, moose live alone and are only encountered during the breeding season to mate. Adults are usually between 4.6 and 6.9 feet tall and weigh between 441 and 1543 pounds. Only in male moose antlers grow in the form of dendrites or twigs. The horns extend from the center of the head, then bend up and widen. The antlers of an adult bull moose can reach 83 inches from point to point and weigh 40 pounds each. During the breeding season, males can use their horns to fight each other for mating rights.
# 1: Asian water buffalo
The Asian buffalo ranks first among the animals with the largest horns in the world. These domestic cows, also known as water buffaloes, are historically native to India and Southeast Asia. Today it is one of the most abundant buffalo species, with over 130 million inhabitants worldwide. There are currently two types; a slender and taller river buffalo; and a stockier marsh buffalo. Their skin can be black to blue or gray, depending on age and subspecies. They are 47 to 63 inches tall and weigh between 660 and 2,400 pounds. In the Asian water buffalo, the horns grow outward and form a semicircle. Many can reach 10 feet from point to point and each are 60 inches long. However, the world record for longest horns belongs to the shooting of a bull in 1955, which measured 13 feet 10 inches from point to point.
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