Category
🐳
AnimalsTranscript
00:00 While we may think lions and other massive predators have the largest claws, there are
00:04 some that may even surprise you.
00:09 In fact, the African lion has a claw length of just 1 inch, while some herbivores have
00:15 4 to 5 inch claws.
00:17 Of course, size isn't everything, and you can argue carnivores are more agile and powerful
00:21 than their longer-clawed prey.
00:23 Still, in this video, size does matter, and today, we're going to look at some animals
00:29 with the biggest claws in the world.
00:33 Welcome back to Forever Green, and before we go on, we have a quick question for you.
00:37 Which animal would you think has the bigger claw, an eagle or a grizzly bear?
00:43 Stick around to the end for the biggest and more surprising animal claw.
00:48 Number 10.
00:50 Armadillos.
00:52 In addition to having a near-bulletproof armor for skin around their body, armadillos have
00:57 giant front claws they use for digging to get ants and termites out of their little
01:02 tunnels.
01:03 A 3-foot armadillo will have claws about 8 inches long.
01:06 They stand motionless when a predator approaches, but they claw and bite if they are under serious
01:11 threat.
01:12 While you might still survive the clawing, you might not survive the diseases they will
01:15 transfer to you.
01:17 Armadillos are known carriers of leprosy, rabies, and many other harmful diseases.
01:22 Humans don't often get into fights with these creatures, but household pets like dogs and
01:25 cats do, and if your pet catches the disease, the infection will spread.
01:30 Their giant claws also help them dig a tunnel quickly to escape in the event of a threat.
01:34 This can even cause pipe breakage and weak structures at your house.
01:38 Other than that, they are usually harmless creatures and often victims of roadkill, but
01:42 they are also multiplying in number, especially in Florida.
01:50 Number 9.
01:51 Sloths.
01:53 Sloths may be the furthest thing from your mind when we say the words dangerous or harmful.
01:59 They sleep all day, they are always slow, and they seem as gentle as a teddy bear.
02:04 But these are misconceptions.
02:06 Just take a look at this video of a sloth fighting off a harpy eagle.
02:10 Eagles are pretty powerful predators, and if a sloth can deter them, there is no telling
02:13 what they could do to us.
02:15 Their claws can grow to 4 inches long, which is useful for hanging from trees.
02:20 The two-toed sloths in particular can get pretty aggressive.
02:23 If you approach them or try to cuddle them when they are not in the mood, you might suffer
02:27 a few scratches and cuts.
02:29 Three-toed sloths are usually more easygoing, but they don't appreciate human hands all
02:33 over them either.
02:34 So, while they may look like they are up for a cuddle, looks can be deceiving.
02:39 Sloths also do not actually sleep 18-20 hours a day.
02:42 A study conducted that gave this result had sloths in captivity.
02:45 They probably slept because they were bored and had nothing else to do.
02:49 And who can't relate to that?
02:50 A study in the wild revealed that sloths only sleep 9 hours a day, and spend the rest of
02:54 their time foraging and watching out for predators, among other things.
02:58 With that in mind, here's another fact, sloths are actually pretty fast and powerful
03:03 when they want to be.
03:08 Number 8.
03:09 Komodo Dragon.
03:12 Also called the Komodo monitor, these lizards are natives of the Indonesian islands of Komodo,
03:17 Rinka, and Flores.
03:18 They are the largest species of lizard on earth, growing up to 10 feet in length and
03:22 weighing 150 pounds, with 4 inch claws.
03:27 You definitely don't want to see this one crawling up the walls of your home.
03:30 Not that you wanted to see the common house lizard either.
03:33 As a result of their size, they dominate the ecosystems they live in.
03:37 They hunt and ambush birds and mammals and use their powerful legs, sharp teeth, and
03:41 huge claws to grab onto their prey.
03:44 Their group behavior while hunting is also pretty exceptional in the reptile world, almost
03:48 the same as when a group of lions set out to hunt.
03:51 Komodo dragons also use their forked tongue to track their prey and have been known to
03:55 attack humans.
03:56 With claws that big, you definitely do not want to get caught, and they run pretty fast.
04:02 Fortunately, they can only run in a straight line, so if you're ever in an encounter, just
04:06 run in a zigzag pattern, and they'll give up the chase.
04:09 Still, human and dragon have lived pretty peacefully on these islands for years now,
04:14 and incidents of Komodo dragons killing people are rare.
04:16 And if you think that sounds crazy, just wait for the number one animal with the biggest
04:21 claws.
04:22 It's going to blow your mind.
04:27 Number 7, Polar Bear.
04:31 As fluffy and cuddly as they might look, polar bears are actually amongst the powerful and
04:35 dangerous predators on the planet, because it gets pretty cold where they live.
04:41 They need to be on a steady diet of heavy fats to keep warm, which they get from seals
04:45 and walruses.
04:46 To tear into their flesh, you would need some pretty big and sharp claws.
04:50 Polar bears are 4 to 6 inch and razor sharp.
04:53 It's much longer than those of their black bear cousins, but it's also very thick and
04:57 curved to help them grip the frozen ice or any slippery prey like the ringed seal.
05:01 Sadly, these creatures are under threat due to climate change, pollution, and oil and
05:06 gas development.
05:07 Hunting for their fur, meat, and sinews was common, and in 1968 alone, 1,250 polar bears
05:14 were killed.
05:15 Despite being at the top of the food chain, it seems the apex predator's predator is humans.
05:20 Without polar bears, we risk a change in the population of seals, killer whales, and sharks,
05:25 all affecting smaller fish populations.
05:27 Once we lose them, there's no going back.
05:34 Number 6.
05:35 Siberian Tiger.
05:38 Also called the Amur tiger, these tigers used to roam a greater part of Asia, from the Korean
05:43 Peninsula to China and Russia.
05:45 Today, they're mainly found in the mountain region of the Russian Far East.
05:48 They range from 70 to 82 inches in length, and have 4 inch claws that they keep sharp
05:53 and even use to communicate with each other.
05:56 Their claws are retractable, curved, and long, and they help the tigers grab prey, mark their
06:01 territory, and climb trees.
06:02 They eat the usual boar, hare, and rabbits, but they also enjoy a Manchurian wapiti, a
06:08 type of deer, the long-tailed gora, and even black bears, despite black bears also being
06:13 pretty powerful predators themselves.
06:20 Number 5.
06:21 Bald Eagles.
06:23 Bald eagles are carnivores, and they sustain themselves on a steady diet of fish, meat,
06:28 and corian.
06:29 They have 2 inch long claws, and it's made of a hard protein called keratin, the same
06:33 thing human nails and hair are made of.
06:36 But theirs grows much longer and develops pointier to help them grip onto slippery prey.
06:41 It also helps them tear their prey apart with ease and fight with rival eagles.
06:45 What's more, they can apply 1,000 pounds of pressure per square inch with their talons.
06:50 If you're fishing a lake, the eagle will swoop down and grab you out of the lake and
06:54 even eat you while it's flying, all before you can blink an eye.
06:58 The long, sharp talons of bald eagles and other birds of prey have long been portrayed
07:02 as symbols of strength, power, and primal tenacity.
07:06 In fact, recent studies have also shown that Neanderthals had great admiration for these
07:10 enormous birds and even spiritual significance on them by using eagle talons as symbolic
07:15 elements in necklaces and pendants.
07:18 Bald eagles are also the national symbol of the United States of America, and that's probably
07:22 why they are of least concern in their conservation status.
07:25 They were once on the brink of expiration, but populations have recovered since the late
07:29 20th century, and they were removed from the list of species under threat in 2007.
07:34 They are now protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and you can be
07:38 charged $100,000 in fines for killing a bald eagle.
07:46 Number 4.
07:47 Golden Eagle.
07:50 Bigger than their bald eagle cousins, these birds range from Mexico through much of western
07:54 North America as far as Alaska.
07:57 They are also found in Asia, Africa, and Europe, making them more widespread than harpy and
08:02 bald eagles.
08:03 They are brown with a lighter golden-brown plumage on their napes and have a wingspan
08:08 of 7.5 feet.
08:09 They also have 3-inch long curved talons, perfect for snatching up rabbits, marmots,
08:15 and ground squirrels.
08:16 They also eat reptiles and birds, and the smaller eagles eat large insects.
08:21 They have also been known to attack full-grown deer.
08:24 Ranchers once would hunt golden eagles that would prey on their livestock, but recent findings
08:28 have shown they didn't really attack the livestock that much.
08:31 It was perhaps just fear that drove humans to hunt these majestic birds.
08:35 But today, these birds are protected by law, and like the bald eagle, the golden eagle
08:39 also had particular value given to their talons by Neanderthals.
08:44 Bald eagles can be pretty territorial, and their marked territories are as large as 60
08:48 to 80 square miles.
08:50 They make their nests in high places and build them up huge so they can reuse them when breeding
08:54 seasons come around.
08:59 Number 3 – Grizzly Bear Claw
09:03 These could even double as Swiss Army knives if you needed them to.
09:07 Their 2- to 4-inch claws help them swipe salmon from the water, dig through the ground for
09:11 rodents, and rip apart old tree stumps to find insects and scoop out their carefully
09:16 constructed homes.
09:17 They are often referred to as being razor sharp, but that's not true.
09:21 You can't really shave with them, but it works to pluck their food from small places.
09:25 And unlike lion claws, theirs are non-retractable.
09:29 So basically, they're always ready for a fight.
09:32 Most females grow to 290 to 400 pounds, and males grow to 400 to 790 pounds.
09:39 In some places, they can be as small as 220 to 300 pounds as well.
09:44 Of course, there have been exceptions.
09:46 A huge grizzly male has been recorded at a weight of 1,500 pounds and a height of nearly
09:51 10 feet.
09:52 They can be found in Asia, Europe, and North America, giving them the broadest range of
09:56 bear species in the world.
09:58 And luckily, as far as their conservation status goes, they are of least concern.
10:03 Good thing too, because grizzlies have the lowest reproductive rates of all mammals in
10:07 North America.
10:08 On average, a female will produce two cubs and care for them for two years, during which
10:12 she will not mate.
10:16 It is now time for our subscriber pick.
10:18 Remember, if you see something interesting or bizarre on the internet, make sure you
10:22 send it over to us.
10:23 We'll investigate and might even feature it in a future video.
10:26 Today's image from a subscriber is of what looks like a giant bird holding a human hand.
10:33 We searched for a bird with talons as massive as those, and you'll like what we found.
10:39 Check out number 2.
10:41 Harpy Eagle These birds are so massive that their claws
10:46 match the size of a grizzly bear's, 4 inches.
10:50 Take a moment to let that sink.
10:52 Harpy eagles are known to be among the world's largest and most powerful eagles, growing
10:57 up to 40 inches long with a wingspan of 7.5 feet.
11:01 Eagles in general are pretty scary, but the harpy can be downright terrifying.
11:06 While hunting, they can reach speeds of 50 miles an hour and grab and carry prey equal
11:11 to their own body weight.
11:12 So yes, they could quickly snatch up a sloth relaxing on a tree branch.
11:16 The males usually take smaller prey, between 1 and 5 pounds, and females take larger prey,
11:21 usually around 6 pounds.
11:23 Adult females regularly grab spider monkeys, male howlers, and sloths weighing 13 to 20
11:28 pounds too, and fly off without landing.
11:31 An incredible feat of strength.
11:33 Sadly, these majestic creatures are declining quite rapidly.
11:36 It is primarily threatened by habitat loss due to logging, cattle ranching, and agriculture.
11:42 It is also under threat by poachers and hunters because they are seen as a danger to people
11:46 and the livestock.
11:47 There have been no records of harpy eagles attacking humans or cattle, but a bird that
11:51 size is bound to scare a few people.
11:54 There are, however, national programs trying to recover the species.
11:58 So to answer the question, grizzlies and the harpy eagle have about the same size of claws.
12:03 Did you get it right?
12:06 Before we check out number 1, we have a quick challenge for you.
12:09 In the next 5 seconds, hit the subscribe button and ring the bell for notifications and you'll
12:14 automatically learn a new musical instrument.
12:17 Try it, it really works.
12:22 Number 1.
12:23 Therizontosaurus
12:24 Well, they are extinct, but we're talking about animals with the most giant claws ever.
12:32 So we can't not talk about this lizard that lived way back in the late Cretaceous period.
12:36 These remains were found in 1948 by a Mongolian field expedition at the Gobi Desert.
12:42 At first, they thought it was a turtle-like reptile because they only had some bones and
12:46 a giant claw to go on.
12:47 Additional findings of a forelimb, hindlimb, and the rest of the body confirmed it was
12:52 more like a lizard.
12:53 The skeleton reveals the Therizontosaurus grew to 33 feet in length and had the longest
12:58 known claws of any land animal, a whopping 19.6 inches.
13:03 Their claws were stiff and elongated, mostly to harvest seaweed or open termite mounds.
13:08 It's unlikely they had predators, as its size probably intimidated them.
13:12 They were amongst the tallest dinosaurs, so even if a predator did try to hunt them, they
13:17 wouldn't have been able to bite any higher than an adult Therizontosaurus's thighs or
13:24 belly.
13:25 And those are the 10 animals with the biggest claws.
13:26 If you ever come across them, you might want to tread lightly and try your best not to
13:30 provoke them.
13:32 As we've seen in this video, it probably won't end well for you.
13:35 If you enjoyed this video, make sure you hit the like button and check out others on the
13:39 4 Evergreen channel.
13:40 Thanks for watching and we'll see you next time.