The Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a marine (saltwater) mammal, and the largest animal known on the planet.
The Blue Whale can grow to 30 metres (98 feet) in length. The female is larger than the male.
The Blue Whale’s heart and tongue are also very large.
National Geographic says that the tongue of a Blue Whale is about 366 centimetres (12 feet) long. If 8 tongues were placed end-to-end, they would equal the total length of its body. It can weigh about 2,720-3,630 kilograms (2.7 tonnes or 6,000-8,000 pounds), which is as much as a car or elephant.
Its tongue is longer and heavier than its heart.
The Blue Whale’s heart is about 152 centimetres (5 feet) long and weighs about 180 kilograms (400 pounds).
Photographer: anim1754 NOAA Photo Library
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