Fossils of Whale Perucetus colossus

Fossils of  whale Perucetus colossus discovered in the Ica desert of southern Peru, may be the heaviest discovered animal ever. Fossils of this extinct whale dates to more than 38 million years ago. The remains include 13 vertebrae, a few ribs and one hip bone.

It is believed that the Blue Whale is the heaviest animal on earth. It can grow up to around 100 feet in length and the largest specimens have weighed as much as 180 metric tonnes (198 tons).

Perucetus colossus could have had a body mass of up anywhere between 85 and 340 tonnes equaling or even surpassing that of the blue whale.

A paleontologist is a scientist who studies the history of life on Earth through the fossil record. 

About Ica Desert

• Ica Desert, along the Peruvian coast, which can be considered an extension of the Atacama Desert—one of the most arid places on Earth.

• Ica is located near the capital city of Peru that is Lima.