Blue Whale

Balaenoptera musculus

The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is the largest animal known to have lived, feeding almost exclusively on tiny crustaceans such as krill. It is a baleen whale that often undertakes seasonal movements between productive high-latitude feeding areas and lower-latitude regions.

Mass (typical / record)

130.0 t

Top speed

32 km/h

Body length

26.0 m

Diet

Carnivore

Habitats

open ocean, coastal waters

IUCN: EN (Endangered)

The largest animal known to have ever existed on Earth, its heart alone weighs as much as a car. Commercial whaling in the 20th century reduced the population by over 99%. Their slow recovery is one of conservation biology's defining success stories and ongoing challenges.