Studying the largest mammal for a long time, scientists came to the conclusion that whales switched to aquatic life about 50 million years ago, and hippos are their closest relatives on land.
The impressive size of this animal in ancient times astonished man, therefore the Greeks began to call them κῆτος - “sea monster”. So the name was assigned to these giant, but cute inhabitants of the deep sea.
Let's try to understand the variety of species of the cetacean order and find out what is the largest whale in the world.
10 largest whales of the planet:
10
Minke whale Minke
Growing up to 10.7 meters in length, the representative of the Minke family is the smallest of the huge family. Three species of this mammal populated the waters from the northern latitudes to the Antarctic.
A distinctive feature is the stripes behind the head. And the body itself has a dark gray color, but the belly and fins are white.
Minke whale does not like the team, and basically makes lonely voyages. But in places of food accumulation, one can meet huge herds of this amazing whale.
9
Northern smooth whale
In the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean, you can meet a majestic whale, the sizes of which reach from 12 to 16 meters in length.
The smooth northern whale is easily distinguished among its relatives by the missing dorsal fin. On the black coloration of giants, white spots of organisms parasitizing on his body are clearly distinguished.
Due to thoughtless fishing, the habitat of this species has been significantly reduced. Hunting the northern smooth whale is prohibited, but the process of natural restoration of the population is very slow.
8
Humpback whale
The whale got its specific name because of the shape of the dorsal fin. From a distance it resembles a hump, and also out of habit, when moving, gracefully arch the back.
The average length of humpbacks is approximately 14-15 meters, but some individuals grow to 19.5 meters. Often above the water, in addition to the back of a humpback whale, you can see large pectoral fins.
This mammal is not tied to a specific territory, and you can meet with humpbacks anywhere in the world ocean. There is evidence that the humpback whale occasionally entered the Baltic Sea.
Surprisingly, about large animals such as whales, people know very little information.
7
South smooth whale
One of the three species of smooth whales has chosen the habitat of the subtropical latitudes of the Southern Ocean. At one of the islands near Argentina, scientists equipped a whole center for monitoring these beauties.
Inhabitants of the southern seas grow up to 18 meters, and weigh over 80 tons with such dimensions. They often sail to ships and small boats, jumping out of the water, showing all their power and beauty.
Since 1937, the whale has been under protection, and unlike other species, it began to systematically recover, although scientists still cannot determine what factors affect the birth rate of cetaceans.
6
Japanese whale
Whale, outwardly similar to its North Atlantic relative, can be found in the waters of the northern part of the Pacific Ocean. There is evidence of its location off the coast of Mexico, but for some reason females come to give birth only to the Japanese islands.
Some individuals grow up to 19 meters. A huge mammal is threatened with extinction.
Experts estimate that today in the world there are no more than 400 individuals of the Japanese whale that live in the Sea of Okhotsk, and about 100 individuals live in the eastern part of the ocean.
5
Sperm whale
This is one of the largest predators on our planet. The largest of the toothy whale suborder, the sperm whale loves to stay in large groups. So they are easier to overcome long distances and eat.
Males sperm whale grow up to 20 meters, but females are much smaller. Among other sperm whales, a large head stands out, so it is difficult to confuse it with other cetaceans.
Sperm whale lives throughout the vast ocean, except the most northern and southern outskirts. Perhaps the only one from a large family of cetaceans, which is very aggressive, and if wounded, it can sink a ship.
4
Sail
Saivala is also called the ivyas whale, and individual representatives reach 20 meters in length. Interestingly, females are larger than males. The habitat of saivals is the entire world ocean, where water is above 8 degrees Celsius.
In addition to large sizes, these mammals also develop speeds of up to 25 kilometers per hour, and dive to almost 300-meter depth.
In Russia, this marine animal is widespread in the Kuril Islands, less commonly found in the Barents Sea.
Due to the sharp decline in the population, hunting for seyvals was completely banned in the mid-80s of the last century.
3
Bowhead whale
The cold waters of the northern latitudes were chosen for life by the Greenland whale, a marine giant growing up to 22 meters and weighing 150 tons.
The only species that spends all its life in the northern seas, and eats only plankton, passing a huge amount of water through the gills. The population of the north is today about 10 thousand individuals.
In ancient times, the tribes inhabiting the islands of the northern seas actively hunted for a giant, dwellings were made from bones, and meat and fat were used for food.
2
Finwal
Finwal, which belongs to the common family of minke whales, lives in both hemispheres, but rarely approaches the coastline.
They grow up to 27 meters, and among the relatives they are quick, and with huge sizes and weights they can quickly move and dive deeper than all cetaceans.
Despite the relatively large population, finwales are considered an endangered species, which is why hunting for them is strictly limited.
On thebiggest.ru there is a very interesting article about animals that are now on the verge of extinction.
1
Blue whale
This handsome man, growing up to 33 meters with a weight of 150 tons, is the largest whale.
Blue whale is a loner and loves to travel across the ocean in splendid isolation, while overcoming long distances. The dorsal fin is triangular in shape on the blue body, and the pectoral fins are quite wide and powerful.
Many museums in the world can boast that their exhibits display amazing and huge skeletons of blue whales. And its impressive size can be seen in the photo.
Conclusion
Photo of a blue whale.
So we found out how much the whale weighs, but the photos will not convey all the beauty of these marine giants. Having large sizes, whales are harmless creatures on earth, feeding on plankton and small fish. Meeting with them among the ocean expanses causes a lot of positive emotions and indescribable joy.
Whale - the largest animal for some reason has a very low birth rate, which is why almost all species are close to extinction. Many countries have banned hunting for this unique animal, and those who continue fishing have dramatically reduced its scale.
Thebiggest.ru editors are waiting for your comments about your attitude to these beautiful animals. If you had to watch them in the wild, share your impressions with readers of our site.
Article author: Valery Skiba