Whales

The whale is the heaviest creature on the planet. These magnificent beasts were formerly terrestrial, but millions of years ago, they returned to the sea. Instead of teeth, whales have keratin filters in their mouths. They use baleen to strain their food, which is usually small creatures like krill, from the water.

The blue whale is the world's largest and heaviest animal, weighing up to 219 tons. Because blue whales currently dwell in the ocean, nature has permitted them to grow so large, even though their terrestrial predecessor was approximately the size of a cat. Following it are the fin whale, bowhead whale, and Northern Pacific right whale, all of which weigh in at 120 tons. The North Atlantic right whale and the Southern right whale, both weighing over 110 tons, follow them. The sperm whale, at 57 tons, the humpback whale, at 48 tons, and the gray and sei whales, each at 45 tons, follow them.

Weight: 219 tons