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Why are whales so big?

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Scientists believe they have discovered the answer to this question; why are whales so big?

Researchers think the biggest ever shark known to science, – the 14-18m-long predator, called Megalodon, died out over 2.6 million years ago.

The Megalodon looked like a super-sized Great White and was probably the size of a large truck.

Scientists think it could bite down with a force of between 10.8 to 18.2 tonnes with teeth as large as 17 cm.

The 50 tonne shark fed on smaller marine mammals such as small ‘baleen whales.’
That was when the small baleen whales began to grow to their current huge sizes as they were no longer being preyed upon.
This is why the whale is so big. Because it has been allowed to grow as it is no longer being eaten by the Megalodon.

This group now includes the biggest animal alive today – the blue whale. It’s proper name is Balaenoptera musculus, and grows to more than 30m long.

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