How bigs a blue whale?
Quick Answer
Blue whales typically measure 80-100 feet (24-30 meters) in length.
Key Facts
🧭 Quick Explore
are whales mammals?
🔍 8,100/mo 🦐what do whales eat?
🔍 6,600/mo 📚how much does a blue whale weigh?
🔍 5,400/mo 🔬are dolphins whales?
🔍 4,400/mo 📏how long can whales hold their breath?
🔍 4,400/mo 📚how many blue whales are there?
🔍 4,400/mo 📚what do whale sharks eat?
🔍 4,400/mo 📚how many blue whales are left?
🔍 3,600/moHow Big Is A Blue whale?
They can reach 30m (100 ft) / 150-200 tons. Size varies by sex, with males typically larger than females in most species.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Marine mammal |
| Family | Cetacea |
| Habitat | Oceans worldwide |
| Conservation | Protected in most countries |
| Research Status | Ongoing scientific study |
The Short Answer
Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) hold the title of the largest animal ever to exist—larger than any dinosaur. Adults typically measure 80-100 feet (24-30 meters) in length and weigh 150-200 tons (136,000-181,000 kg). The largest blue whale ever recorded was a staggering 110 feet (33.5 m) long. Even their hearts are the size of a small car, and their blood vessels are large enough for a human to swim through.
Blue Whale Size by Population
Blue whale sizes vary slightly among the three recognized subspecies:
| Subspecies | Location | Average Length | Average Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antarctic Blue Whale | Southern Ocean | 90-110 ft (27-33 m) | 150-200 tons |
| North Atlantic/Pacific Blue | Northern Hemisphere | 75-90 ft (23-27 m) | 100-150 tons |
| Pygmy Blue Whale | Indian Ocean, South Pacific | 65-80 ft (20-24 m) | 70-90 tons |
The Antarctic blue whale is the largest, with females typically 5-10% larger than males.
Blue Whale Body Part Dimensions
Every part of a blue whale is extraordinarily large:
| Body Part | Size | Comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Total Length | 80-100 ft (24-30 m) | Length of 2.5 school buses |
| Weight | 150-200 tons | Weight of 33 elephants |
| Heart | 1,000 lbs (450 kg) | Size of a small car |
| Tongue | 6,000-8,000 lbs (2.7-3.6 tons) | Weight of an elephant |
| Aorta | 9 inches (23 cm) diameter | Child could crawl through |
| Fluke Width | 25 ft (7.6 m) | Width of a small airplane |
| Mouth Capacity | 21,000 gallons (79,500 L) | Largest mouth of any animal |
| Eye | 6 inches (15 cm) | Size of a grapefruit |
According to NOAA Fisheries, a blue whale’s heart beats only 8-10 times per minute at the surface, slowing to just 2 beats per minute during deep dives.
Blue Whale vs. Other Giants
How does the blue whale compare to other massive animals?
| Animal | Length | Weight | Era |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Whale | 80-100 ft (24-30 m) | 150-200 tons | Present |
| Argentinosaurus (largest dinosaur) | 100-130 ft (30-40 m) | 70-80 tons | Cretaceous |
| Sperm Whale | 50-60 ft (15-18 m) | 35-45 tons | Present |
| African Elephant | 20-24 ft (6-7.3 m) | 5-7 tons | Present |
| Whale Shark | 40-60 ft (12-18 m) | 15-20 tons | Present |
| Megalodon (extinct shark) | 50-60 ft (15-18 m) | 50-70 tons | Miocene |
The blue whale is heavier than Argentinosaurus despite being shorter, making it the heaviest animal in Earth’s history.
Blue Whale Growth and Development
Blue whales have the fastest growth rate of any animal:
| Life Stage | Length | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fetus (7 months) | 10 ft (3 m) | 2,000 lbs | Rapid prenatal growth |
| Newborn | 23-27 ft (7-8 m) | 6,000-8,000 lbs | Already huge at birth |
| 6 Months | 50 ft (15 m) | 50,000 lbs | Weaned from mother |
| Sexual Maturity | 70-80 ft (21-24 m) | 100+ tons | Age 5-15 years |
| Full Adult | 80-100 ft (24-30 m) | 150-200 tons | Age 20-30 years |
The Smithsonian Institution reports that blue whale calves drink 100-150 gallons of milk daily and gain 200 pounds per day during nursing—the fastest growth rate of any animal.
Why Are Blue Whales So Massive?
Filter Feeding Efficiency
Blue whales evolved to exploit abundant krill populations. Their enormous size allows them to consume up to 6 tons of krill daily during feeding season.
Ocean Buoyancy
Water supports the blue whale’s massive body. On land, such an animal would be crushed by its own weight—water removes this constraint.
Thermoregulation
A large body-to-surface-area ratio minimizes heat loss in cold polar waters where they feed. Learn more about how whales stay warm.
Predator Avoidance
Only killer whales occasionally attack young blue whales. Adults are simply too large for any predator.
Record-Breaking Blue Whales
| Record | Measurement | Location | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longest Ever | 110 ft (33.5 m) | South Georgia | 1909 |
| Heaviest Ever | 418,878 lbs (190 tons) | Southern Ocean | 1947 |
| Largest Heart | 1,500 lbs (680 kg) | Royal Ontario Museum | 2015 |
| Loudest Call | 188 decibels | Pacific Ocean | Ongoing |
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is the biggest blue whale ever recorded?
The largest blue whale ever measured was 110 feet (33.5 m) long, caught near South Georgia in 1909. The heaviest confirmed specimen weighed approximately 190 tons (418,878 pounds).
How does a blue whale’s size compare to a dinosaur?
Blue whales are heavier than any dinosaur that ever lived. While some dinosaurs like Argentinosaurus were longer (100-130 ft), they weighed only 70-80 tons compared to the blue whale’s 150-200 tons.
How big is a blue whale’s heart?
A blue whale’s heart weighs about 1,000 pounds (450 kg) and is the size of a small car. The preserved heart at the Royal Ontario Museum weighs 440 pounds (dry weight) and required a team to remove and preserve it.
How fast do blue whale calves grow?
Blue whale calves gain approximately 200 pounds per day during nursing, drinking 100-150 gallons of fat-rich milk daily. They’re weaned at 6-7 months, by which time they’ve doubled their birth length.
Why are blue whales so rare if they’re so big?
Commercial whaling reduced blue whale populations by 99% before the 1966 hunting ban. Today, an estimated 10,000-25,000 blue whales exist worldwide, slowly recovering from near-extinction.
Blue Whale Size and Conservation
Understanding blue whale size helps conservation efforts:
| Conservation Factor | Size Relevance |
|---|---|
| Ship Strikes | Large whales are major collision victims |
| Entanglement | Long bodies encounter more fishing gear |
| Food Requirements | Need vast krill populations to survive |
| Climate Change | Affects krill distribution and whale feeding |
| Noise Pollution | Size of vocal organs creates low-frequency calls easily masked |
The WWF reports that blue whales are classified as Endangered, with some populations (like Antarctic blue whales) still at less than 1% of pre-whaling numbers.
Incredible Size Facts
- A blue whale’s blood volume is about 2,500 gallons—enough to fill a small swimming pool
- Their intestines are over 300 feet long
- A blue whale’s blowhole spray can reach 30 feet high
- They can produce sounds louder than a jet engine (188 dB)
- A human could theoretically stand inside a blue whale’s major blood vessels
- Blue whales evolved from land mammals the size of dogs 50 million years ago
The blue whale’s extraordinary size makes it nature’s greatest achievement in biological engineering. To compare with other whale species, explore how big are whales.
Related Questions
Sources & References
Last verified: 2026-02-02
People Also Ask
what do blue whales eat?
Blue whales eat almost exclusively krill — tiny shrimp-like crustaceans. An adult blue whale can consume up to 4 tons (3,600 kg) of krill per day during the feeding season.
How Big Is The Blue Whale??
Regarding "how big is the blue whale": Size varies by sex, with males typically larger than females in most species.
How do blue whales make sounds without a melon??
Blue whales produce sounds using their larynx, not a melon. The melon is a fat-filled organ used by toothed whales (like dolphins and sperm whales) for echolocation. Baleen whales like blue whales don't echolocate; instead, they produce low-frequency calls by pushing air through their vocal folds, creating sounds that can travel thousands of miles.
How Big Are Whales??
Size varies by sex, with males typically larger than females in most species.
Test Your Knowledge: Blue Whale
They can reach 30m (100 ft) / 150-200 tons