The Largest Animals Ever to Have Lived
The blue whale is the largest animal known to have existed, reaching about 30 metres and 190 tonnes.
Also known as: Biggest animals on Earth
The blue whale is the largest animal ever known, exceeding any dinosaur in mass at up to around 190 tonnes and 30 metres in length.
What it is
The largest animal known to have ever lived is the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus). The heaviest reliably recorded individual weighed about 190 tonnes, and the longest measured roughly 30 metres (98 ft). Its heart alone can weigh around 180 kg and its tongue can weigh as much as an elephant.
| Rank | Animal | Size |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue whale | ~30 m, up to ~190 t |
| 2 | Fin whale | ~26 m |
| 3 | North Pacific right whale | ~19 m |
| 4 | Sperm whale | ~18 m |
| 5 | Colossal squid | ~10 m (est.) |
No dinosaur is known to have matched the blue whale's mass, though some long-necked sauropods such as Argentinosaurus may have rivalled or exceeded its length. Blue whales feed almost entirely on tiny krill, filtering several tonnes a day through baleen plates.
Related entries
Sources & further reading
- Blue Whale — NOAA Fisheries (article)