Blue Whale versus Megalodon [Everything you need to know]
Blue Whale versus Megalodon – A fully matured adult Blue Whale cannot be killed by any marine animal today.
Historically, there were large marine predators, and one, in particular, is often cited as the most likely candidate that could kill a Blue Whale; it’s certainly the legendary Megalodon, the largest shark in history.
Blue Whales are mammals that exist even today, whereas Megalodons are shark species that went extinct around 3 to 4 million years ago.
Although the Blue Whale and the Megalodon were enormous predators, their behaviors, sizes, and diets drastically differed during the millions of years that separated their existence (they lived millions of years apart).
In this piece, you will see the characteristics of these two marine animals, who would win in a fight, and some related questions and answers. Read on!
Blue Whale vs. Megalodon: Characteristics
In the following table, we’ve laid out the key distinctions between the Blue Whale and the Megalodon.
Characteristics |
Blue Whale |
Megalodon |
| Maximum Length | 98 feet (confirmed)
29.8 meters |
58.7 Feet (possibly 82 Feet) |
| Weight | 331,800 lbs
173,000 kg |
66,000 lbs – 143,000 lbs
30,000 kg – 65,000 kg |
| Cruising Speed | 5 miles an hour
8.05 kilometers per hour |
3.1 miles an hour
5 kilometers per hour |
| Maximum Speed | 20 miles an hour
32.5 kilometers per hour |
11.2 miles an hour
18 kilometers per hour |
| Number of Teeth | No teeth, Baleen plates | Up to 276 Teeth |
| Largest Size of Teeth | No teeth | 6.9 – 7.3 inches
17 cm – 18.5 cm |
| Period Alive | 1.5 million years ago to the present day | 20 million to 2.6 million years ago |
| Senses | Hearing, Sight, Touch, Limited smell, and Taste | Low frequency “hearing,” Excellent smell, Electrical Signal Sensors, Sight, Touch, and Taste |
| Diet | Mostly Krill (very small shrimp) | Fish, Whales, Dolphins, Dugongs, Marine reptiles, and other sharks |
| Defenses | Size, Tail thrashing, and working together | Razor-sharp teeth, Size, and Senses |
| Bite Force | No bite | Between 108,514 and 182,201 Newtons (N) |
Blue Whale vs. Megalodon: Who would win in a fight?
A fight between the largest whale and animal that ever existed (Blue Whale) and a whale-eating mega shark (Megalodon) is impossible — a million years separated them, at the very least.
Yet in our judgment, even the Blue Whale’s enormous size, greater speed, and larger mouth wouldn’t protect it from the teeth and might or power of a full-sized Megalodon should it get the guts to attack.
Also, the Blue Whale’s enormous size would be enough to scare off the Megalodon. If the Blue Whale were extremely fortunate and saw the Megalodon coming, it could use its top speed to escape the region as fast as its gigantic tail would take it.
Therefore, if a Megalodon and a Blue Whale were to engage in a fight, the Megalodon would emerge victorious using its powerful bite and puissance.
FAQs
Did Megalodon Eat Blue Whales
Megalodon went extinct roughly 2.6 million years ago when the earth was cooling (despite recent movies indicating otherwise). This puts them around a million years apart in terms of evolution.
To sum up, Megalodon would not have been able to hunt modern Blue Whales, but it would have feasted on their ancestors like Eobalaenoptera.
Would Megalodon Eat Human Beings?
Megalodons typically prey on larger marine mammals, sharks, and fish; it is possible (though not certain) that humans would not be considered prey if we ever saw one in the ocean. There are, however, a few things to keep in mind about this.
Even though the Megalodon preferred larger prey, it probably wouldn’t have passed up any opportunity for nourishment because it could eat up to 2500 lbs of food a day (2500 lbs would be equivalent to around 15 fully grown persons per day).
Therefore, if you were surrounded by whales or a pod of dolphins, the Megalodon would likely ignore you. However, if you were on your own or with a group of friends, you could be considered a snack by a famished Megalodon.
Further, Megalodons could grow up to 50 feet in length, but while they were growing, they would have needed smaller prey than whales, perhaps prey of human size.
Was Megalodon Preyed Upon?
The mature Megalodons were the greatest predators of their time. The only potential danger would come from other Megalodons.
Before reaching full size, young Megalodon would have been threatened by other shark species, including Great hammerhead sharks and early Great white sharks, which are now believed to have evolved near the end of the Megalodon’s era and perhaps contributed to its extinction.
Final Thoughts
When comparing the Blue Whale to a Megalodon, the former is easily larger in every way except for the latter’s larger number and larger size of teeth.
Even though the Megalodon was enormous, it is currently thought that the Blue Whale is the world’s largest animal on both land and sea; the Megalodon is not even in the top ten. But this all changes in a head-to-head encounter between a Blue Whale and a matured Megalodon.
The Blue Whale, despite its size, lacks the protections necessary to resist or even discourage an attack by a Megalodon, a shark that evolved to hunt and consume whales.
Lastly, Megalodon would defeat a Blue Whale in a fight thanks to its formidable bite and strength. Even the largest Blue Whale would be no match for the Megalodon’s rows of 7-inch razor-sharp teeth.
We hope you find this information helpful. Please use any of the share buttons below to share this information.
Feel free to drop any questions or contributions regarding this article in the comment section below.