Co-Evolution With Humans Might Be Why Africa Is Home To So Many Of Earth's Largest Land Animals

While Europe and North America might be home to bears and wolves, they are lacking in the even larger species that roam across the continent of Africa. Even Asia and Australasia, with their freaky-looking marsupials, can’t compete with the size and volume of the world’s largest land animals. But why are there so many in Africa? Let's take a closer look. The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

Africa boasts the largest living land animal in the form of the African bush elephant, the largest bird in the form of the ostrich , and the largest primate in the form of the eastern gorilla. It also contains the tallest land animal, the giraffe, as well as the rhinoceros and the hippopotamus , which both clock in at well over a ton.