The 5 Animals With The Longest Legs
There are many records in nature, and all of them are based on the survival of the species. The animals with longer legs have this feature because it allows them to move faster, reach higher places while looking for food or even avoid being attacked.
Let’s find out to follow the animals with the longest legs.
Which animals have the longest legs?
In most cases, the animals with the longest legs belong to the family of wading birds.
But they are not the only ones! There are also examples among mammals and invertebrates. Read on to learn more:
1. The flamingo
This beautiful bird is known for several aspects, including pink coloring and long limbs. It is also famous for its hooked beak, for the movements it makes with its head on either side – as if it were dancing – and for being able to stand on one leg.
The flamingo – opening photo of the article – can measure 140 centimeters and live in the shallow waters of most of the world. It builds its nest with mud and hatches only one egg per season. It feeds on algae and crustaceans thanks to a filtering process through which it separates food from water.
2. The dancing spider
Spiders are known for their multiple ends, some of them very thin and in other cases thick and hairy.
The dancing spider is one of the longest legged insects – they measure up to six times the length of their body.
It usually lives on roofs, caves, cellars or garages and feeds on small insects or arachnids. He is calm enough, but when annoyed, he violently sways his web as a method of defense.
Unlike previously thought, the long-legged dancer spider is not poisonous, even if it does bite an invertebrate.
3. The giraffe: first among the animals with the longest legs
This typical African mammal, known for its long neck and spotted fur, holds just this record: it is the longest legged animal on Earth.
The forelimbs and hind limbs are nearly the same length and have a kind of “knee” that allows them to flex when they need to rest or gallop.
The giraffe’s legs can measure up to four meters, and while they look thin and delicate, they are a great defense weapon. They are used by these animals to protect themselves from the threats of predators: they kick vigorously and the sharp hooves hurt even the largest cats.
4. The crane
The crane is a typical bird of Japan. He lives in open places and is known for striding across rivers and prairies.
The crane lives in herds and once it finds a mate, it keeps it for life. Each year the cranes perform a beautiful courtship dance, with leaps and sounds similar to that of a trumpet.
They have mostly white plumage and are a real sight when they fly the long migrations between the breeding period and the hatching of the eggs.
Their long legs feature three large and one small toes, allowing them to walk through mud without any problems.
5. The ostrich
Among the animals with the longest legs, it is impossible to overlook the ostrich, the largest bird among them, which thanks to its extremities, can run at surprising speeds.
Interestingly, the ostrich cannot fly because its wings are too small to support its nearly 180 pounds of weight.
The ostrich lives in arid or semi-arid areas and in open spaces such as the savannah and the plain.
It has no teeth, but its movable tongue helps it get food, mainly plants, although it can consume arthropods and small animals from time to time.
