Whales

We all know that whales are big, but few of us realize just how big. The biggest species is the Blue Whale. This animal is bigger than any dinosaur that ever lived. The biggest dino (brachiosaurus) was only 50 tons and 80 feet long. One blue whale is as big as 25 of the largest elephants. (150 tons, 100 feet long) Think of 75 minivans. They are that big! And they grow fast. Youngsters gain weight at the rate of ten pounds per hour. A blue whale’s tongue is about the same weight as two full-size pickup trucks. Their heart is about the same size as a Toyota Prius. This monster organ beats about nine times per minute. At the other end of the spectrum is the hummingbird with up to 1200 beats per minute, or 133 beats for every time the whale’s heart beats.