The largest mammal that ever lived, and is still living, is the blue whale. The blue whale is far larger than any discovered dinosaur. The average life span of the whale is 35 to 40 years, but if they weren't hunted, the life span increases to about 80 years.
More Giant Creature Facts:
- The largest recorded blue whale weighed in at 376,990 pounds (171,000 kilograms) and measured more than 90 feet (27 meters) long. The longest recorded blue whale topped 110 feet (33 meters) long.
- The blue whale's heart alone is larger than a small car and can weigh up to 1,000 pounds (453 kilograms).
- The largest living land animal is the African Bush Elephant, weighing in at 27,000 pounds (12,247 kilograms).
- The largest known dinosaur is the Sauropoda, which measured 38 feet (12 meters) tall and likely weighed between 66,139 and 132,277 pounds (30,000 and 60,000 kilograms).
- Though not an animal, the largest organism by area is a fungus called a honey mushroom, of the species Armillaria ostoyae. Measuring 2,200 acres (8.9 square kilometers), it currently resides in Oregon at the Malheur National Forest.
