How big is a full grown whale shark?
39 feet long
How big is the largest whale shark?
Physical Characteristics
- The whale shark is the largest fish in the world and the largest fish known to have lived on this planet.
- The largest accurately measured whale shark was 61.7 feet (18.8 m).
- The average length is between 18 and 32.8 feet (5.5 10 m).
- Newborns measure 21 to 25 inches (53 64 cm) long.
What was bigger Megalodon or whale shark?
Megalodons are a little longer and significantly heavier than whale sharks. Although whale sharks hold the title for largest shark alive, megalodons hold the title for largest shark ever.
How did the whale shark get so big?
Whale sharks have evolved to become the world’s largest fish as a consequence of feeding on vast amounts of tiny prey in the cold ocean depths.
What was the largest whale shark ever recorded?
61.7 feet
How big do whale sharks grow?
Megalodons are a little longer and significantly heavier than whale sharks. Although whale sharks hold the title for largest shark alive, megalodons hold the title for largest shark ever.
Is a Megalodon or a whale shark bigger?
Size description Whale sharks can grow up to 40 feet (12 meters) long, but on average they grow to 18 to 32.8 feet (5.5 to 10 m) and weigh 20.6 tons (18.7 metric tonnes). That’s about the size of a school bus
How big can a whale shark get?
Megalodons are a little longer and significantly heavier than whale sharks. Although whale sharks hold the title for largest shark alive, megalodons hold the title for largest shark ever.
Is a whale shark bigger than a megalodon?
The largest living mammal species in the world is the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), reaching some 33.5 m (110 ft) and weighing a staggering 150 tonnes. Conversely, whale sharks attain a maximum length of about 21m (68 ft) and can weigh an impressive, but paltry by comparison, 36 tonnes or so.
Which is larger a blue whale or a whale shark?
There’s no doubt that the ocean is home to some of the largest animals found on the planet, including the largest. While the whale shark isn’t the largest (that honor goes to the blue whale), it’s definitely one of the larger critters found in the great unknown.
Was there a bigger shark than megalodon?
Its name was Livyatan, and it was a ferocious competitor to megalodon. Livyatan was about the same size as the massive shark, weighing an estimated 100,000 pounds and reaching up to 57 feet in length.
What animal was bigger than the megalodon?
The Blue Whale
How did the whale shark evolve?
The whale shark evolved from bottom-dwelling carpet sharks that have noticeable body markings, so perhaps the shark’s markings are simply evolutionary leftovers.
Why is the whale shark the biggest shark?
The name whale shark refers to the fish’s size, being as large as some species of whales, in addition its filter feeding habits which are not unlike that of baleen whales.
What do whale sharks eat to get so huge?
They eat both krill and a type of seaweed called Sargassum Whale sharks can grow up to 18 metres long and weigh up to 43 tonnes. They’re filter feeders that have been known to eat krill small, shrimp-like crustaceans but now we know that they actually eat a lot of plant material too.
How big is the biggest whale shark ever recorded?
Physical Characteristics
- The whale shark is the largest fish in the world and the largest fish known to have lived on this planet.
- The largest accurately measured whale shark was 61.7 feet (18.8 m).
- The average length is between 18 and 32.8 feet (5.5 10 m).
- Newborns measure 21 to 25 inches (53 64 cm) long.
What is the biggest shark ever in history?
megalodon
Was the megalodon bigger than a whale shark?
Megalodons are a little longer and significantly heavier than whale sharks. Although whale sharks hold the title for largest shark alive, megalodons hold the title for largest shark ever.
What is the biggest shark than the whale shark?
Whale sharks are the world’s largest shark, but only just – they have some relatively stiff competition. At 12.3 metres long, the basking shark, Cetorhinus maximus, comes in a close second.
Where is the largest whale shark in the world?
Until a decade ago, adult whale sharks measuring an awesome 43 to 49 feet (13 to 15 meters) plied warm waters from India to Belize. Today these biggest of the big are seen only in the eastern Pacific, a new study says.
What is the largest whale shark ever recorded?
Size
- The whale shark is the largest fish in the world and the largest fish known to have lived on this planet.
- The largest accurately measured whale shark was 61.7 feet (18.8 m).
- The average length is between 18 and 32 feet (5.5 9.8 m).
- Newborns measure 21 to 25 inches (53 64 cm) long.
How big is a mature whale shark?
39 feet
What eats a whale shark?
Although adult whale sharks don’t have much to fear from predators, juveniles and old or sick whale sharks are preyed upon by a variety of fish, including sharks and blue marlins. They are also vulnerable to predators such as killer whales and humans also hunt them in some areas of the world.
Do whale sharks grow bigger than Great White sharks?
The largest is the whale shark, which has been known to get as large as 18 meters (60 feet). The smallest fits in your hand. And the great white shark is somewhere in the middle. See photos and learn more about the wide diversity of sharks, read 5 reasons to revere sharks, and see even more articles about sharks.
Is whale shark bigger than megalodon?
The Megalodon has been compared to the whale shark (around 12.65 metres, or close to 41.50 feet) and the scientific community has determined that Megalodon was larger, based on both weight and length. Megalodon was also far bigger than the great white shark, which would only be around half of Megalodon’s size.
