"Peruvian Discovery: Unearthing Earth's Largest and Heaviest Ancient Whale"

TL;DR Summary
Fossils of an ancient whale called Perucetus colossus, discovered in Peru, suggest it may be the heaviest animal ever, surpassing the blue whale. Living about 38-40 million years ago, Perucetus weighed up to 340 metric tonnes and measured around 20 meters in length. Its dense bones indicate it likely inhabited shallow coastal waters, similar to manatees. While lacking cranial and tooth remains, researchers believe Perucetus was a slow swimmer and a peaceful giant, resembling a super-sized manatee. This discovery sheds light on the extraordinary diversity and evolution of ancient marine creatures.
- Ancient whale found in Peru may be the heaviest animal ever Al Jazeera English
- Ancient whale from Peru may be Earth's largest animal Reuters
- A newly discovered colossal whale might be the heaviest animal ever, study finds CNN
- This whale may be the largest animal ever. We have no idea how it got that big. The Washington Post
- The heaviest animal ever may be this ancient whale found in the Peruvian desert The Associated Press
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