The blue whale holds the distinction of being the largest animal in the world. This marine mammal surpasses all other creatures in terms of sheer size.
The Blue Whale: A Champion of Size
Blue whales are the largest animals known to have lived on Earth, exceeding even the largest dinosaurs. They can reach lengths of over 33 meters (100 feet), which is comparable to the length of three school buses lined up end-to-end. These creatures can weigh up to 200 tons (400,000 pounds), with females generally being heavier than males.
The heart of a blue whale can weigh as much as 450 kilograms (1,000 pounds) and is roughly the size of a small car. Its tongue weighs around 4 tons, which is comparable to the weight of an adult African elephant. Blue whales sustain their bodies by filter-feeding on tiny, shrimp-like crustaceans called krill. They can consume up to four tons of krill daily, lunging through dense swarms of prey to filter them from the water using baleen plates.
Other Living Giants
Earth is home to other impressive living giants. The fin whale, for instance, is the second-longest cetacean after the blue whale, reaching lengths of up to 27 meters (89 feet) and weighing between 70 to 80 tons.
On land, the African bush elephant is the largest terrestrial animal, with males reaching shoulder heights of up to 4 meters (13 feet) and weighing between 4,500 and 6,100 kilograms (9,900 to 13,500 pounds). Some exceptionally large males have been recorded weighing over 10,000 kilograms (22,000 pounds). In the aquatic realm, the whale shark holds the title of the largest living fish, with the largest confirmed individual measuring 18.8 meters (61.7 feet) in length.
Prehistoric Titans
Earth’s past was home to many colossal animals. Among the most massive land animals was Argentinosaurus, a long-necked sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period. Estimates suggest Argentinosaurus could have been 30 to 35 meters (98 to 115 feet) long and weighed between 65 and 80 tons.
Another prehistoric creature was Spinosaurus, considered the largest known carnivorous dinosaur. This semi-aquatic predator could reach lengths of 15 to 18 meters (49 to 59 feet) and weigh between 7 and 20 tons. In the ancient oceans, Megalodon was a gigantic shark that dominated the seas until about 3.6 million years ago. Estimates suggest it could have grown between 14.2 and 24.3 meters (47 to 80 feet) long, making it one of the largest fish to have existed. Despite their immense sizes, these prehistoric animals are extinct and do not surpass the blue whale in overall mass.