World's Largest Animal Fossil Found In Peru

 

The largest animal in the history of the world is the blue whale which can reach a weight of 180 tons and a length of 30 meters. But fossils of ancient animals recently discovered in Peru are about to change the status of blue whales and scientists' understanding of the evolution of whale species.

The ancient whale fossil Perucetus colossus was found in the Ica valley, Southern Peru and consists of 13 vertebrate bones, four ribs and one hip bone. Based on fossils that are around 39 million years old, scientists estimate that Perucetus colossus was 20 meters long and weighed 340 tons, making it the largest animal in world history so far.

The bones of Perucetus colossus are heavier and denser than those of modern whales. Because of its enormous size, scientists are now faced with the issue of the evolution of the whale species because the theory has been that whales only became large around 3 million years ago. With this discovery, scientists' understanding of whales will change.