This list includes 35 Big animals that start with G, from “Arrau turtle (Giant South American river turtle)” to “Guanaco”. It covers large mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish noted for their adult size, useful for education, reference, and content creation.

Big animals that start with G are large vertebrate species whose adult size or mass is notable within their group. Many are familiar cultural symbols, like the giraffe in African art and storytelling.

Below you’ll find the table with common name, scientific name, primary habitat, and typical wild lifespan (years).

Common name: The everyday species name helps you quickly recognize animals and match them to local or popular references.

Scientific name: The Latin binomial gives exact species identity so you can find precise biology and conservation information easily.

Primary habitat: Notes the biome and region where the species lives so you can understand its ecological context and range.

Typical wild lifespan (years): Shows average adult lifespans in the wild, helping you compare longevity across species and plan studies.

Big animals that start with G

Name Scientific name Typical adult size Primary habitat (biome + region) Description
Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis 1,000 kg African savanna; East Africa Tall, long-necked browser; lives ~25 years in the wild. Qualifies as “big” by huge mass and towering height.
Gorilla Gorilla gorilla 160 kg Tropical rainforest; Central Africa Powerful great ape, wild lifespan ~35–40 years. Big by adult mass and status as the largest living primate.
Gaur Bos gaurus 900 kg Tropical forest; South & Southeast Asia Massive wild cattle, lives ~20–30 years. Qualifies by very large adult mass and stature.
Giant panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca 110 kg Temperate bamboo forest; China Iconic black-and-white bear, wild lifespan ~15–20 years. Big by heavy adult mass and robust build.
Gemsbok Oryx gazella 180 kg Desert grassland; Southern Africa Large antelope adapted to arid plains, lives ~18–20 years. Big by adult mass and impressive horns.
Gerenuk Litocranius walleri 30 kg Dry scrub savanna; East Africa Long-necked gazelle with browsing habit, wild lifespan ~10–15 years. Big for a gazelle (mass ≥15 kg).
Gray wolf Canis lupus 40 kg Taiga/temperate forests; N. America, Eurasia Social apex predator, lives ~6–8 years wild. Big by carnivore mass compared with most canids.
Giant otter Pteronura brasiliensis 30 kg Freshwater rivers; Amazon Basin Social large otter, wild lifespan ~10–12 years. Big by long body length and heavy mass for mustelids.
Giant squid Architeuthis dux 10 m Deep ocean; worldwide Enormous deep-sea cephalopod, lifespan ~3–5 years. Unambiguously “giant” among squid and mollusks.
Giant Pacific octopus Enteroctopus dofleini 50 kg Temperate coastal oceans; N. Pacific Large cephalopod with long arms, wild lifespan ~3–5 years. Big by mass and armspan.
Great white shark Carcharodon carcharias 4.50 m Coastal temperate oceans; worldwide Apex predator, lives ~30–70 years. Big by length and top predatory role.
Great hammerhead Sphyrna mokarran 4.00 m Tropical coastal oceans; worldwide Large hammerhead shark, wild lifespan ~20–30 years. Big by adult length and size among sharks.
Goliath grouper Epinephelus itajara 2.50 m Tropical reefs; Western Atlantic Heavy reef fish, lives ~30–50 years. Big by large length and mass for groupers.
Goliath frog Conraua goliath 3.30 kg Rainforest streams; Central Africa World’s largest frog, wild lifespan ~15 years. Included as the largest member of its amphibian group.
Giant clam Tridacna gigas 1.20 m Coral reef; Indo-Pacific Massive bivalve, can live 100+ years. Included as one of the largest bivalves globally.
Galápagos tortoise Chelonoidis nigra 300 kg Tropical dry forest; Galápagos Islands Iconic giant tortoise, wild lifespan 100+ years. Big by very high adult mass and shell size.
Galápagos sea lion Zalophus wollebaeki 150 kg Coastal marine; Galápagos Islands Social pinniped, lives ~15–20 years wild. Big by adult mass among Otariidae.
Green sea turtle Chelonia mydas 110 kg Tropical/subtropical oceans; worldwide Large marine turtle, lifespan ~60–80 years. Big by heavy adult mass and shell size.
Green anaconda Eunectes murinus 5.00 m Freshwater swamps; Amazon Basin One of the world’s largest snakes, lives ~10–12 years wild. Big by exceptional length and girth.
Gharial Gavialis gangeticus 4.50 m Riverine; Indian subcontinent Long-snouted crocodilian, lifespan ~30–60 years. Big by large adult length among crocodilians.
Gray whale Eschrichtius robustus 14 m Coastal temperate seas; North Pacific Migratory baleen whale, lives ~50–70 years. Big by great body length and mass.
Grey seal Halichoerus grypus 250 kg Coastal temperate; North Atlantic Large seal species, lives ~25–30 years. Big by heavy adult mass among pinnipeds.
Giant freshwater stingray Urogymnus polylepis 2.00 m Freshwater rivers; Southeast Asia Enormous river stingray, lifespan ~20+ years. Big by very large disc width and mass.
Guanaco Lama guanicoe 100 kg Grasslands; South America Wild camelid of Andes/Patagonia, lives ~20 years. Big by adult mass among camelids.
Giant anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla 30 kg Grassland/forest; Central & South America Long-snouted insectivore, lifespan ~12–14 years wild. Big by body mass and length for anteaters.
Giant armadillo Priodontes maximus 40 kg Tropical forest; South America Largest armadillo, wild lifespan ~12 years. Big as the heaviest and largest-shelled armadillo species.
Greater kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros 230 kg Woodland/savanna; East & Southern Africa Large spiral-horned antelope, lives ~7–10 years wild. Big by adult mass and horn length.
Greater one-horned rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis 2,200 kg Floodplain grasslands; Indian subcontinent Massive rhino, lifespan ~35–50 years. Big by enormous mass and armor-like skin.
Grevy’s zebra Equus grevyi 350 kg Dry grassland; Horn of Africa Largest zebra species, wild lifespan ~20–25 years. Big by large body mass for equids.
Giant manta Mobula birostris 7.00 m Tropical pelagic oceans; worldwide Huge filter-feeding ray, lifespan ~40 years. Big by enormous wingspan and weight among rays.
Goliath catfish Brachyplatystoma filamentosum 3.00 m Large rivers; Amazon Basin Enormous freshwater catfish, lives ~15 years. Big by exceptional length among river fishes.
Giant moray Gymnothorax javanicus 3.00 m Coral reef; Indo-Pacific Large moray eel, lifespan ~20 years. Big by length among reef eels.
Giant isopod Bathynomus giganteus 0.76 m Deep sea; Atlantic Very large isopod crustacean; lifespan in wild not well known. Included as the largest isopod species.
Goliath birdeater Theraphosa blondi 0.30 m Rainforest floor; Northern South America World’s largest tarantula by mass and legspan, lifespan ~15+ years (females). Included as the largest spider species.
Arrau turtle (Giant South American river turtle) Podocnemis expansa 80 kg Large rivers; Amazon Basin Large freshwater turtle, lives ~50–70 years. Big by heavy adult mass among river turtles.

Descriptions

Giraffe
Gorilla
Gaur
Giant panda
Gemsbok
Gerenuk
Gray wolf
Giant otter
Giant squid
Giant Pacific octopus
Great white shark
Great hammerhead
Goliath grouper
Goliath frog
Giant clam
Galápagos tortoise
Galápagos sea lion
Green sea turtle
Green anaconda
Gharial
Gray whale
Grey seal
Giant freshwater stingray
Guanaco
Giant anteater
Giant armadillo
Greater kudu
Greater one-horned rhinoceros
Grevy’s zebra
Giant manta
Goliath catfish
Giant moray
Giant isopod
Goliath birdeater
Arrau turtle (Giant South American river turtle)
If you think there is a missing term, let us know using the contact form.