Have Baleen Whales Always Been the Largest Animals?

Many whales that are alive today are bigger than even the largest dinosaurs that once roamed the Earth, but this hasn't always been the case. Even the massive blue whale -- the biggest creature in history -- was relatively puny until a few million years ago, when climate change inundated the oceans with an influx of marine life that allowed filter-feeding whales to grow exponentially. These are the findings of a recent collaborative study between the University of Chicago and the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History that looked back 30 million years and found that even the biggest whales on record from that time were only a few yards (or meters) long. Then, during the ice age of about 3 million years ago, the Earth's ice sheets grew, pushing water deeper and closer to the warm Equator, ultimately resulting in pockets of animal life for whales to feast on. The larger they were, the better they were able to capitalize on these concentrations of tiny marine creatures, so they grew even bigger and were also able to extend their migratory patterns and find even more food.

A whale of a tale:

• The tongue of a blue whale can weigh as much as an elephant.
• Blue whales can emit sounds that would drown out a jet: 180 decibels compared with a jet engine's peak of 140 decibels.
• There are still whales living today that were born before Herman Melville published Moby-Dick in 1851.

Frequently Asked Questions

Have baleen whales always been the largest animals on Earth?

No, baleen whales have not always been the largest animals. During the dinosaur era, creatures like the Argentinosaurus, which could reach lengths of up to 100 feet, were comparable in size. However, the modern blue whale is the largest animal ever known to have existed, reaching lengths of up to 100 feet and weights of around 200 tons.

When did baleen whales evolve to their current size?

Baleen whales underwent a significant size increase around 2-3 million years ago, during the Pliocene epoch. This change is believed to be a response to oceanic environmental changes and the availability of abundant food sources, allowing them to grow larger than any other marine reptiles or mammals that had lived before.

What factors contributed to the immense size of baleen whales?

The immense size of baleen whales is attributed to several factors, including an abundant food supply in the form of plankton, efficient filter-feeding mechanisms, and the buoyancy provided by seawater, which supports their large bodies. Additionally, larger size may offer advantages such as enhanced migration capabilities, increased fasting endurance, and reduced predation risks.

Are there any extinct animals that rivaled the size of today's baleen whales?

While there have been many large prehistoric animals, none have rivaled the size of today's baleen whales. The closest contenders are the largest dinosaurs, such as the Argentinosaurus and the Patagotitan, but even these massive creatures fall short of the blue whale's maximum size in terms of weight and overall mass.

How do baleen whales compare in size to the largest toothed whales?

Baleen whales are significantly larger than toothed whales. The largest toothed whale, the sperm whale, can reach lengths of up to 60 feet, which is impressive but still considerably smaller than the largest baleen whales, such as the blue whale, which can exceed lengths of 100 feet. The difference in size is largely due to their different feeding strategies and ecological niches.

What is the largest baleen whale, and how does it measure up to other large animals?

The blue whale is the largest baleen whale and the largest animal known to have ever existed. Adult blue whales can reach lengths of up to 100 feet and weigh as much as 200 tons. This makes them larger than any dinosaur, including the massive Argentinosaurus, and far exceeds the size of any land mammal, such as the African elephant, which is the largest land animal today.