10 of the Heaviest Animals, All Belonging to the Whale Family

According to *Our World in Data*, by 2020, approximately 2.12 million animal species had been recorded worldwide.

Scientists also estimate that many more animal species remain undiscovered or unrecorded, both on land and in the water.

The world's heaviest animals all live in the ocean. Citing *Safaris Africana*, here is a list of the 10 heaviest animals in the world:

1. Blue Whale – 190 tons
2. North Pacific Right Whale – 120 tons
3. Fin Whale – 120 tons
4. Bowhead Whale – 120 tons
5. North Atlantic Right Whale – 110 tons
6. Southern Right Whale – 110 tons
7. Sperm Whale – 57 tons
8. Humpback Whale – 48 tons
9. Sei Whale – 45 tons
10. Gray Whale – 45 tons

The heaviest animal in the world is the blue whale, measuring up to 30.5 meters long and weighing up to 190 tons. The heart of this marine mammal is the size of a family car, and its tongue is as large as an elephant.

Blue whales consume up to 4 tons of food per day. Their main food source is small fish or a species of shrimp called krill. With its wide mouth, a blue whale can engulf large swarms of krill; its body's filtration system then expels the ingested water.

Blue whales are an endangered species. Their current global population is estimated to be only 10,000-25,000.

(See also: 10 Animals with the Longest Lifespans)