Small hummingbirds can dive up to 60 mph. Although they can't smell, they have great eyesight and long tongues. The hummingbird's tongue is 18 inches long, but most species are 3 to 5 inches long.
Their tongue helps them filter-feed. So when they ingest krill, they can invert their tongue to produce a bag that squeezes out the water before eating. The blue whale is the largest oceanic species and has the longest tongue.
Giraffes have lengthy necks and legs. They have 21-inch tongues. Their length helps them eat leaves and buds other animals can't reach. Their tongue is too.
Their lengthy tongues help them extract honey from beehives and detect insects. Bears consume berries, fruits, roots, reptiles, birds, and rodents. Deforestation and poaching threaten sun bears' survival.
Tigers have 7 to 9-inch tongues and are the largest felines. Their tongues have papillae. Sharp bristles act as a comb when they lick. It helps them ingest fur, feathers, skin, and meat.
Okapis are herbivores with tongues 12 to 14 inches long. This length lets them devour leaves from trees and vines. Their broad, black-to-purplish tongues shield them from thorns and sunburn.
Giant anteaters have the longest land animal tongue. Their 24-inch tongues are a third of their 72-96-inch bodies. These animals use their muscular claws and forelimbs to open nests and slurp up prey.
Most frogs have tongues one-third their body length. All frog species have tongues under one inch length. The Goliath frog has a body size of 11.2 inches and a 3.7-inch tongue.
Spiny anteaters are toothless echidnas. 12 to 19 inches long, with 2 to 3 inch snouts. Their 5 inch tongues are nearly a fifth of their body length. Long, sticky tongues help them suck prey swiftly.