Blue whales are baleen whales. It is the largest animals ever known to have lived on Earth. These magnificent marine mammals rule the oceans at up to 100 feet long and upwards of 200 tons. Their tongues alone can weigh as much as an elephant. Their hearts, as much as an automobile.

A diver’s close encounter with mighty blue whale – for size comparizion

Blue whales reach these mind-boggling dimensions on a diet composed nearly exclusively of tiny shrimp like animals called krill. During certain times of the year, a single adult blue whale consumes about 4 tons of krill a day.

  • Mass: 130,000 – 150,000 kg (Adult)
  • Lifespan: 80 – 90 years (In the wild, Estimated)
  • Conservation status: Endangered (Population increasing)
  • Scientific name: Balaenoptera musculus
  • Order: Artiodactyla
  • Family: Balaenopteridae
  • Length: 26 m (Southern hemisphere population, Adult), 24 m (Northern hemisphere population, Adult)