Blue whale: largest and loudest of the animal kingdom

Exceeding three school buses in length and, outweighing a small airplane, the blue whale is the largest animal on Earth. A gentle giant of the ocean, these magnificent, and sadly endangered, whales glide gracefully through the water with their torpedo- shaped bodies.

Name: Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)

Size: Length: up to 33.5 meters. Weight: up to 149 tonnes.

Largest creature on Earth: Blue whales are the largest creature to have ever roamed the Earth, surpassing three school buses in length and outweighing a small airplane. Their massive heart is so big that it could fill a bathtub. Learn more

Loudest animal on the planet Blue whales produce the loudest sound of any animal, with their low-frequency calls traveling up to 1,600 kilometres underwater.

Diet: Blue whales' primary food source is krill, though they may occasionally consume small fish and tiny crustaceans (copepods).

Habitat: Found in all oceans except the Arctic, a subspecies known as the pygmy blue whale is commonly seen near Australia, Madagascar, and New Zealand.

Conservation status: Endangered

Despite their massive size, blue whales are endangered due to historical whaling and ongoing threats to their ocean environment. Learn more

cosmosmagazine.com

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Blue whale: largest and loudest of the animal kingdom

Exceeding three school buses in length and, outweighing a small airplane, the blue whale is the largest animal on Earth. A gentle giant of the ocean, these magnificent, and sadly endangered, whales glide gracefully through the water with their torpedo- shaped bodies.

Name: Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)

Size: Length: up to 33.5 meters. Weight: up to 149 tonnes.

Loudest animal on the planet Blue whales produce the loudest sound of any animal, with their low-frequency calls traveling up to 1,600 kilometres underwater.

Diet: Blue whales' primary food source is krill, though they may occasionally consume small fish and tiny crustaceans (copepods).

Habitat: Found in all oceans except the Arctic, a subspecies known as the pygmy blue whale is commonly seen near Australia, Madagascar, and New Zealand.

Conservation status: Endangered

cosmosmagazine.com

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