They have found the fossil of an ancient whale which is now extinct.
Scientists estimate that when this whale would have been alive, its weight would have been around 200 tonnes i.e. two lakh kilograms.
Researchers say that even the fossil of the largest blue whale will hardly be able to match it.
The modern blue whale has long been considered the largest and heaviest animal ever. It is heavier than all the giant dinosaurs of the distant past.
But Perucetus colossus -- the colossal whale from Peru -- may have been even heavier than the modern Blue Whale and even the heaviest dinosaurs of the distant past.
Fossil of whale excavated from desert in the south of Peru
These fossils (bones) of whales have been excavated from the desert in the south of Peru.
Fossil is about 3 crore 90 lakh years
Scientists have estimated from the carbon dating of the fossil that it is about 3 crore 90 lakh years old.
Dr. Rebecca Bennion of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels said, "Each piece of spinal cord is about 100 kg, which is mind-blowing." Weight of its bones would be from 5.3 to 7.6 tons
According to scientists, the length of Perucetus would have been 17 to 20 meters, which is less than the common whale, but in terms of weight, the weight of its bones would be from 5.3 to 7.6 tons, adding body muscles and other organs to it, its total weight would have ranged from a minimum of 85 tonnes to a maximum of 320 tonnes.
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