Several tens of thousands of species of animals live on our planet, but only a few of them have impressive sizes. Animals live everywhere: on land, in the air, underground, and in water. At the last place of residence of living beings we will stop. From childhood, everyone knows that whales are the largest animals living in the aquatic environment. But few people realize that among them there are also incomparable giants. We present to the reader information about what are the largest whales in the world.
10. Minke whale Minke | Length 10.7 meters
Top of the largest whales in the world opens the smallest whale family. The animal, which feeds on plankton and small fish, has fins and a belly of white color, and a dark gray upper coloration of the body. A distinctive feature of the whale is its white stripes behind the head.
It lives in the waters of both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. The length of the largest individual reached 10.7 meters.
The leader in the number of minke whales annually mined is the Land of the Rising Sun - Japan. Whaling is approximately 900 individuals. In second and third places are Norway and Iceland, respectively.
9. Northern smooth whale | Length 13-17 meters
This species of the smooth whale family is common in the northern waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Individuals 13-17 meters long have a mass of over 100 tons. A distinctive feature of the whale is the absence of a dorsal fin. The animal of black color, occupying 9th place in the top of the largest whales in the world, has a large number of parasites on its body. Especially they are swarming with the forehead of a mammal.
The speed of the whale is not more than 8 km / h. As a result, it becomes easy prey for humans. Currently on the verge of extinction. The number of surviving whales does not exceed 300 individuals.
8. Humpback whale | Length 17-18 meters
Another animal of our rating of the largest whales in the world, from the family of whales. It got its name because of the dorsal fin in the shape of a hump. The largest individuals of this species of animals reach a size of 17-18 meters. The mass does not exceed 50 tons. The whale has a specific shape and body color, very long pectoral fins (30% of the whole body), and a large caudal fin. The species is distributed throughout the oceans, except for the Arctic. In Russia, it is found only in a small part of the Barents Sea.
7. Southern smooth whale | Length 18 meters
Another species of smooth whale family. Animals, measuring 18 meters and weighing up to 80 tons, have a color ranging from dark brown to blue-black. A distinctive feature of the southern whales are growths under the jaw and above the eyes. Head size is 1/3 of body size. Missing dorsal fin. Females of the southern smooth whale are physically larger than males.
Animals, which are one of the largest whales in the world, live in the Southern Ocean (temperate and subpolar latitudes).
This species has been threatened for a long time, but, at present, the number of individuals exceeds 7,000.
6. Japanese whale | Length 19 meters
This species of whale is little distinguishable from the smooth North Atlantic, but it is larger. Particularly large individuals reach a size of 19 m. The weight of the Japanese whale does not exceed 80 tons. Black individuals with a small dorsal fin feed on crustaceans. They swim slowly, but often like to jump out of the water. The birth rate of the Japanese whale is low. Females give birth to one cub every three to four years. Moreover, they themselves must reach the age of 6-12 years. They live in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean, sometimes found off the coast of Mexico. Now the Japanese whale is threatened with extinction. There are 400 individuals of this species of one of the largest animals in the world left on the planet.
5. Sperm whale | Length 20 meters
Sperm whales live in groups of several dozen individuals. In this type of mammal, sexual dimorphism is pronounced, that is, females are smaller, differ in the shape of the body, head. The largest males reach a length of 20 meters and weigh 50 tons. Females - 15 meters, 20 tons.
The mammal, which occupies the middle of the rating of the largest whales in the world, feeds on mollusks and squids, reaching 14-18 meters in length. It is considered an aggressive animal, so hunting for it is very risky.
The habitat of the sperm whale is distributed throughout the oceans, with the exception of the coldest areas.
4. Save | Length 20 meters
The individual, reaching a length of 20 meters and a mass of 30 tons, belongs to the family of minke whales. A dark gray whale with a large dorsal fin feeds on mollusks, flocking fish, and crustaceans. Seyval lives for over 60 years. Puberty occurs in 5-7 years. It has a speed of more than 25 km / h. Habitat: the entire oceans in places with temperatures above 8 degrees, but below 26. In Russia, this species of one of the largest whales in the world can be found near the Kuril Islands and in the Barents Sea (rarely).
3. Greenland Whale | Length is 18-22 meters
The most seasoned whale in the world lives in the polar regions of the Arctic and off the coast of Greenland. It has a size of 18-22 meters and a body weight of 75 to 150 tons, depending on the sex of the animal. The mammal accelerates to a speed of 20 km / h. It dives to a depth of more than 200 meters and can remain there for 40 minutes.
Lives about 40 years. Individual individuals may exist for more than 100 years. The Greenland Whale's life span record was 211 years. The animal, located on the third line of the top of the largest whales in the world, feeds on plankton and crustaceans.
2. Finwal | Length 27 meters
It is the second largest animal in the world and the closest relative of the blue whale. The species that lives in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres belongs to the striped family. The maximum length of an adult reaches 27 meters. The size of the females is larger than the size of the males, but their weight is approximately the same - 40-70 tons.
An animal with a dark gray back and white belly prefers to live alone. But, sometimes it gets lost in flocks up to 5-6 individuals. It is considered the fastest whale in the world. Its speed reaches 50 km / h. It is immersed at a maximum depth of 230 meters.
1. Blue whale | Length 33 meters
And here is the leader of our rating of the largest whales in the world. It is considered the largest creature that has ever lived on the planet. The mammal, 33 meters long and weighing more than 150 tons, feeds on plankton and small flock fish.
Blue whales live alone. Sometimes they get together in small groups, but even in them they swim separately from each other. They live throughout the oceans. On average, blue whale individuals live for about 80 years. The oldest officially recorded age of the animal was 110 years. Currently, the blue whale is on the verge of extinction. And in the 60s of the last century it was practically exterminated. Scientists are doing everything possible to increase the population. Now the number of mammals is 10,000 individuals.
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