“A Few Sizes Too Big”: 20 Animals That Were Gifted With Enormous Ears

Nature is full of surprises, and its inhabitants are adjusted to avoid any potential dangers that are coming their way. The shape of a bird’s beak and the color of a mammal’s fur are examples of various adaptations that help animals survive.

Oversized ears also play a crucial role in dodging predators, regulating temperature, and finding others of their kind. Not to mention their charm as accessories!

Today, we’re all ears as our Pictolic team has gathered the cutest pictures of animals that are sporting sound receivers a few sizes too big. Warning: Some of these ear-to-body ratios might leave you overwhelmed with sweetness.

20 PHOTOS

#1 Long Boy

Many animals with large ears have exceptional hearing. A serval, a type of African wildcat, can hear smaller prey like rodents and frogs wiggling their way underground. Koalas use their excellent hearing to detect predators and communicate with others through the dense, leafy foliage that often surrounds them. Kangaroos have very sensitive ears that can rotate, which helps them monitor their surroundings, even while they’re eating or resting.

Besides, having enormous hearing organs can provide other adaptational benefits. Animals like African elephants, English lops (species of rabbits), and American Brahmans (a breed of beef cattle) use their ears to regulate body temperature. The large area dense with blood vessels encourages the loss of excess body heat, providing a much-needed cooling effect.

#2 People Keep Saying He Will Grow Into Them

#3 Harlow And Her Subwoofers

Moreover, the Basset Hound’s lengthy ears are designed to act as scent-catching traps, carrying smells toward the dog’s highly sensitive snout. This unique feature secures them the title of “the second-best sense of smell” among all canine breeds. Also, bats use their hearing organs to aid in their flight navigation. They capture a large amount of sound waves that allow them to maneuver through the dark with precision, making darkness irrelevant. Similarly, Aardvarks’ enormous ears compensate for their bad eyesight to better suit their nocturnal lives.

#4 Let's Meet Lovely Jane

#5 Long-Eared Bat

#6 I Can’t Believe Teddy Turns 7 Today. Happy Honking Birthday To My Long Boy

#7 My Friends 3-Month-Old Big Ears Rabbit

#8 His Ears Are Part Of The Tiny Tent

#9 My New Kitten Has The Biggest Ears

#10 Our Little Troublemaker

#11 Ears A Plenty

Although they provide many advantages, the presence of big sound receivers can sometimes be inconvenient for their owners. For example, a Basset Hound’s ears are prone to infections, so ear hygiene is crucial for the health and comfort of these dogs. For long-eared bats, large hearing organs increase air resistance, forcing them to use more energy while flying compared to other species with smaller ears. Also, elephants living in forests can get their sound receivers caught in foliage. That’s why breeds of forest elephants usually have smaller oval-shaped ears to adapt to living in cooler, foliage-dense environments.

#12 This Is Ralphie. His Ears Are Already Pretty Big, But He Can Make Them Bigger If You Want. 12/10 Very Cool Ralphie

#13 My Little Boy Turns 9 Months Old Today And I Love Him More Every Second That Goes By

#14 Tiny Temmie Is Ready For Take-Off

#15 We Always Thought He Would Grow Into His Ears

#16 Nosey Cow Undoubtedly Stole The Show At The County Fairgrounds. Not Everyone’s Into Cows, But She Was A Beauty With The Softest Ears

With their impressive ears, animals can hear many sounds that humans are not capable of. Elephants' ability to hear infrasound waves allows them to hear even the movement of clouds. They can pick up when the rain clouds are gathering and know when to head for water sources. Pigeons can perceive sounds that are as low as 0.5 Hz, allowing them to detect distant storms, earthquakes, and even volcanoes. Moreover, many mammals and insects can hear the sounds made by plants. Studies show that greenery emits different sounds depending on the species and the type of stress (e.g., drought or cutting). Cats and dogs are also able to hear these sounds, so next time your pets hear something you don't, it’s possible that your plants are just mingling with them.

#17 Ears Out

#18 She’s All Ears

#19 I Met A Puppy With The Biggest Ears

#20 Fox's Ears