Here you’ll find 21 Big animals that start with C, organized from “California condor” to “Cuvier’s beaked whale”. Many entries are large mammals and marine giants, with several notable large birds included. Use this list for education, conservation outreach, and content creation.
Big animals that start with C are large vertebrate species whose adult size or weight clearly exceeds common small fauna. The California condor, for example, became a symbol of conservation after near-extinction and a successful recovery program.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Primary habitat, and Typical lifespan (years).
Common name: The widely used English name helps you quickly recognize each species and match it to other resources.
Scientific name: The Latin binomial gives precise identification so you can find authoritative information across databases.
Primary habitat: The biome and region summary tells you where the species lives and where to observe it in nature.
Typical lifespan (years): Reported wild lifespans give realistic expectations for longevity and help compare species life histories.
Big animals that start with C
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Typical Adult Size | Primary Habitat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape buffalo | Syncerus caffer | Mass: 500–900 kg; Length: 2.1–3.4 m | Savanna — Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Caribou | Rangifer tarandus | Mass: 100–180 kg; Length: 1.8–2.1 m | Tundra/taiga — Arctic and Subarctic regions |
| Common hippopotamus | Hippopotamus amphibius | Mass: 1,400–1,800 kg; Length: 3.3–5.0 m | Freshwater rivers/lakes — Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Common eland | Taurotragus oryx | Mass: 300–1,000 kg; Length: 2.2–3.4 m | Savanna/woodland — Southern and Eastern Africa |
| Common ostrich | Struthio camelus | Mass: 90–156 kg; Height: 1.8–2.8 m | Open plains/savanna — Africa |
| Cassowary | Casuarius casuarius | Mass: 50–85 kg; Height: 1.2–1.8 m | Tropical rainforest — New Guinea and NE Australia |
| California condor | Gymnogyps californianus | Mass: 9–14 kg; Wingspan: 2.5–3.0 m | Montane/cooperaive cliffs — Western North America |
| Cape fur seal | Arctocephalus pusillus | Mass: males 200–350 kg; Length: 2.0–3.0 m | Coastal marine — Southern Africa |
| Common bottlenose dolphin | Tursiops truncatus | Mass: 150–650 kg; Length: 2.5–4.0 m | Coastal/temperate seas — Global temperate/tropical waters |
| Cuvier’s beaked whale | Ziphius cavirostris | Mass: 2,000–3,000 kg; Length: 7–9 m | Deep ocean — Global deep waters |
| Colossal squid | Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni | Mass: ~400–500 kg; Length: 10–12 m (including tentacles) | Deep Southern Ocean — Antarctic waters |
| Conger eel | Conger conger | Mass: up to 50 kg; Length: up to 3.0 m | Rocky coastal waters — Northeast Atlantic |
| Cuban crocodile | Crocodylus rhombifer | Mass: 40–200 kg; Length: 2.5–3.5 m | Freshwater swamps — Cuba (limited range) |
| Common caiman | Caiman crocodilus | Mass: 25–80 kg; Length: 1.5–2.5 m | Freshwater rivers/swamps — Central and South America |
| Copper shark | Carcharhinus brachyurus | Mass: 70–200 kg; Length: 2.5–3.3 m | Coastal temperate seas — Southern Hemisphere coasts |
| Common thresher | Alopias vulpinus | Mass: 200–300 kg; Length: 3.5–4.5 m | Open ocean — Temperate to tropical seas worldwide |
| Common skate | Dipturus batis | Disc width: up to 2.5–2.85 m; Mass: up to ~100 kg | Cold temperate seabed — Northeast Atlantic |
| Common minke whale | Balaenoptera acutorostrata | Mass: 5,000–8,000 kg; Length: 7–10 m | Open ocean/coastal — Northern Hemisphere and Southern populations |
| Common seal | Phoca vitulina | Mass: 60–130 kg; Length: 1.5–1.9 m | Coastal/estuarine — Northern Hemisphere coasts |
| Common crane | Grus grus | Mass: 3–6 kg; Wingspan: 1.8–2.2 m | Wetlands/grasslands — Eurasia |
| Cape gannet | Morus capensis | Mass: 2–3 kg; Wingspan: 1.6–1.8 m | Coastal cliffs/islands — Southern Africa |
Descriptions
Cape buffalo
Large, sturdy African bovine known for herd behavior and powerful horns; a dangerous grazer often encountered in protected savanna areas.
Caribou
Also called reindeer, migratory deer with impressive antlers; herds travel long distances across cold northern landscapes.
Common hippopotamus
Massive, semi-aquatic herbivore that spends days in water; surprisingly agile and highly territorial on land and in water.
Common eland
One of the largest antelopes, the eland has spiral horns and a slow, lumbering gait; valued for meat and cultural importance.
Common ostrich
World’s largest bird, flightless and fast on land; known for powerful legs, large eggs, and social flocks.
Cassowary
A striking, casque‑topped flightless bird with strong legs and a reputation for defensive aggression if threatened.
California condor
A huge New World vulture with an enormous wingspan, critically endangered but recovering via conservation programs.
Cape fur seal
Sexually dimorphic pinniped: huge males defend beaches while females raise pups near coastal waters.
Common bottlenose dolphin
Familiar, intelligent dolphin found worldwide in coastal waters; robust body and strong social groups.
Cuvier’s beaked whale
Deep‑diving, elusive whale known for long dives; has a distinctive beaked profile and small dorsal fin.
Colossal squid
One of the largest invertebrates; massive, muscular squid with heavy beaks and hooks on arms.
Conger eel
Large marine eel reaching several meters, often hiding in reefs and crevices; a powerful predator.
Cuban crocodile
A relatively compact but muscular crocodile with terrestrial habits and a restricted, endangered Cuban range.
Common caiman
Widespread small-to-medium crocodilian; opportunistic predator that thrives in varied freshwater habitats.
Copper shark
A large requiem shark found along temperate coastlines; known as “bronze whaler” in some regions.
Common thresher
Large pelagic shark with extremely long tail used to stun schooling fish; often seen cruising offshore.
Common skate
Large, flat-bodied ray-like fish with wide disc; slow-growing and vulnerable to overfishing.
Common minke whale
One of the smaller baleen whales, widespread and active predators on small schooling prey.
Common seal
Also called the harbor seal or common seal in parts of Europe; adaptable pinniped found on rocks and beaches.
Common crane
Tall, long‑necked migratory bird with impressive courtship displays; forms large flocks on migration staging areas.
Cape gannet
Large, plunge‑diving seabird with striking black-and-white plumage, nests in dense, noisy colonies on islands.