African elephant vs Blue whale
African elephant vs blue whale
Blue whale is larger on weight
Blue whale is 22× African elephant on weight.
An African elephant and a blue whale can be compared on 4 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.
Side by side
| African elephant | Blue whale | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 2,200–10,400 kg | 50–190 t |
| Length | 5.5–7.5 m | 21–33.6 m |
| Top speed | 40 km/h | 20–37 km/h |
| Typical lifespan | 50–70 yr | 70–90 yr |
What the numbers say
- Blue whale is 22× African elephant on weight.
- Blue whale is 3.8× African elephant on length.
- African elephant is somewhat greater than blue whale on top speed — about 1.1×.
- Blue whale is somewhat greater than African elephant on typical lifespan — about 1.3×.
Weight compared.
Blue whale 50–190 t
African elephant 2,200–10,400 kg
African elephant
The largest living land animal, distinguished from the Asian elephant by larger ears and a dipped back.
Blue whale
The largest animal known to have lived, heavier than any dinosaur and audible to other whales hundreds of kilometres away.
This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.
Common questions
- Which is bigger, African elephant or blue whale?
- Blue whale is 22× African elephant on weight. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.
- How do African elephants and blue whales compare on length?
- African elephant: 5.5–7.5 m. Blue whale: 21–33.6 m. Blue whale is 3.8× African elephant on length.
- How do African elephants and blue whales compare on top speed?
- African elephant: 40 km/h. Blue whale: 20–37 km/h. African elephant is somewhat greater than blue whale on top speed — about 1.1×.
Related pages
Sources
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — NOAA (Public domain (US Government))