Ancient whale in Peruvian desert may be heaviest animal ever
What's the story
Scientists have uncovered fossils of a new whale species, called Perucetus colossus, which could potentially be the most massive animal to have ever existed. Found in the Ica desert of Peru, this ancient giant is said to have lived around 39 million years ago. It weighed between 94 and 375 tons, surpassing the current record holder, the blue whale.
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Ica desert is known for its rich marine fossils
The Ica desert, once submerged underwater, is renowned for its abundant marine fossils. The bones of the ancient mammal were discovered over a decade ago. An international team then spent years excavating them from the desert. To study the bones, researchers utilized 3D scanners. They estimated the whale's size and weight by comparing its incomplete skeleton to modern marine mammals.
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The ancient whale likely dwelt in shallow waters
The bones of P. colossus were found to be denser and heavier than a blue whale, indicating the ancient giant likely inhabited shallow, coastal waters. The team uncovered 13 vertebrae of the whale's backbone, four ribs, and a hip bone from the Ica desert. Each vertebra weighs more than 100 kilograms and its ribs measure almost 5 feet long.
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The ancient whale's diet remains more or less a mystery
The discovery of P. colossus raises questions about how such a massive creature sustained itself. According to researchers, P. colossus may have scavenged for food along the seafloor or consumed vast amounts of krill and other tiny sea creatures.