The ocean is an enthralling world of mystery unto itself and the many species that live in its depths are just as fascinating. You may have wondered what the size is of the biggest whale in the world. Well, if you just hang in there you will find out not only the biggest whale in the world but the 3 biggest whales on the earth!
If you have researched the subject online, you would probably come up with several different results as there are wide distinctions in the recorded length and mass of the various species. By using both photographs and whalers records, researchers have been able to gather accurate measurements in the lengths of whales but the weight is another matter. It is difficult to measure and often ends up being based on rough estimates.
While whales are intimidating because of their enormous size, the fact of the matter is that they are some of the most highly intelligent marine animals known to man and they’re friendly too. Curious and playful, if you are out on the ocean and meet up with one of these fellows, you really don’t have to worry because they’re more likely to try and make a new friend out of you than to eat you. It is actually very unlikely that a whale would attack a human. So let’s get to our list of the 3 largest whales in the world:
Blue Whale
Blue whale is the largest whale in the world, but it also tips the scales as the largest animal on Earth. Showoff! Measuring up to 100 feet and weighing as much as 150 tons, the blue whale is an amazing creature. The whale’s tongue alone weighs as much as an elephant and its heart as much as a car. Today most blue whales don’t grow any bigger than 75-80 feet, because whale hunters target the largest of the species.
The blue whale has a body that is long and slender and can be different shades of bluish-grey, thus its name. It has been on the endangered species list since the 1960s, and there are estimated to be only 5,000-12,000 left in the world. They can be found in all the oceans of the world. These gentle giants swim at about 5 mph but can accelerate to 20 mph if necessary, and they consume an amazing four to eight tons of krill every day.
Finback Whale
The second largest whale is the finback, which grows to almost 90 feet in length and weighs around 74 tons. This whale is also known by various other names such as the fin whale, razorback or common rorqual and it is the second longest animal in the world. It has been called ‘the greyhound of the sea’ because of its long, slender body. The finback is brownish-grey and like so many other large whale species, is now an endangered species thanks to commercial hunting.
There was a time when these creatures lived in the Southern Hemisphere, but almost 750,000 of them were killed between 1904 and 1979 so it’s rare to see one there now, and they are mostly found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans.
Right Whale
With a face only a mother could love, and even she’d have problems, the right whale is our third largest whale. The right whale got its name in a little touch of irony from early whalers who announced that these were the ‘right’ whales to kill. With a large blob head covered in callosities, whale barnacles, whale lace, and even worms, this whale could easily win an award for the ugliest. Stretching to almost 60 feet long and weighing over 100 tons, the right whale has very high blubber content, which is basically whale oil.
These largest whales are also the largest animals in the world because of their enormous size. Waiting to see a big whale with my own eyes one day!