Blue Whale

Balaenoptera musculus

EN Filter Feeder Oceans
Up to 200 tons
Weight
70–90 yrs
Lifespan
39 km/h
Top Speed
Oceans worldwide
Found In

With a lifespan of up to 70–90 years, the Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is among the longest-lived filter feeder species. It inhabits oceans habitats in Oceans worldwide.

Physical Characteristics & Habitat

Size & Speed

Metric Blue Whale Filter Feeder Species Median Difference
Weight 200 tons 100.8 tons ↑ 99%
Height 33.5 cm
Top Speed 39 km/h 54.5 km/h ↓ 28%
Avg Speed 40 km/h
Weight (tons)200avg 100.8Speed (km/h)39avg 54.5Lifespan (yrs)80avg 82.5

Habitat & Distribution

The Blue Whale inhabits oceans habitats. It can be found in Oceans worldwide.

Typical coloring: Blue-grey.

Diet & Predators

Diet: Filter Feeder
Predators: Orcas

Behavior & Reproduction

Social Structure

The Blue Whale is a solitary species belonging to the Balaenopteridae family.

Reproduction

Gestation Period: 10–12 months
Offspring per Birth: 1 (rarely 2)
Lifespan: 70–90 years

Conservation & Comparison

IUCN Conservation Status

EN The Blue Whale is classified as Endangered. There are 31 species with the same status in our database.

Species Comparison

Among 2 filter feeder species, the Blue Whale’s weight of Up to 200 tons is significantly higher than the group median of 100.8 tons.

Weight rank: #1 of 31 Endangered species.

# Species Weight Status
1 Blue Whale Up to 200 tons EN
2 Asian Elephant 2000–5000 kg EN
3 Whale Shark Up to 1500 kg EN
4 Grevy's Zebra 350–450 kg EN
5 Baird's Tapir 150–400 kg EN

Related Species

How much does a Blue Whale weigh?

A Blue Whale typically weighs Up to 200 tons, which is well above average compared to the median of 100.8 tons among filter feeder species.

What is the conservation status of the Blue Whale?

The Blue Whale is classified as “Endangered”. There are 31 species with the same status in our database.

Where does the Blue Whale live?

The Blue Whale is found in Oceans worldwide, in oceans habitats.

How does the Blue Whale reproduce?

The Blue Whale has a gestation period of 10–12 months and typically produces 1 (rarely 2) offspring per birth.

Data Sources: IUCN, WWF, National Geographic, Smithsonian Institution.

Last Updated: April 10, 2026