All about whales
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Convex Seascape SurveyWhales are amazing creatures. Here are some (fun) facts about five of the most iconic great whale species.
iStock / Wirestock
Blue whale
Max length 33 metres
Max weight 190 tonnes
Age up to 90 years
Did you know?
The blue whale is the biggest animal that has ever lived. Its tongue weighs the same as an elephant.
iStock / JG1153
Fin whale
Max length 27 metres
Max weight 120 tonnes
Age up to 90 years
Did you know?
The fin whale is the fastest of the great whales, with top speeds of 25 mph. Fin whales eat two tons of food each day, that's the weight of a hippo.
iStock / eco2drew
Sperm whale
Max length 18 metres
Max weight 42 tonnes
Age up to 60 years
Did you know?
The sperm whale has the biggest brain in the world at 9 kg. It hunts for squids and sharks at depths down to 3,000 m.
iStock / heckepics
Humpback whale
Max length 17 metres
Max weight 36 tonnes
Age up to 50 years
Did you know?
Humpback whales have unique tails like human fingerprints. Male humpback whales create the most complex 'songs' of all the great whales.
iStock / Catherine Withers-Clarke
Southern right whale
Max length 17 metres
Max weight 47 tonnes
Age up to 70 years
Did you know?
The southern right whale is the slowest of the great whales with speeds of 6 mph. It communicates mostly using belch (burp) noises.