The Fastest Creature in the Ocean– The Sailfish
Often seen mounted as a trophy fish, the Sailfish is popular and renowned in the world of sport fishing and among anglers for the challenge they provide, even the most experienced of fishermen. This fish that gets its name from their spectacular dorsal fin that stretches nearly the length of their body, is the fastest recorded creature in the oceans and can reach speeds of 68-70 miles (110 kilometers) per hour! These powerful, streamlined beasts can grow to more than 10 feet (3 meters) and weigh up to 220 pounds (100 kilograms). Often sighted leaping out of the water, the sailfish is quite a sight to catch with it’s long sharp bill resembling that of a swordfish.
Runners up: In second place – the Marlin with a maximum recorded speed of 50mph (80kph) and in third place- the Wahoo with a maximum recorded speed of 48mph (78kph).
The Biggest Creature of the Ocean – The Blue Whale
Not just the Biggest creatures of the Ocean, but the biggest creature ever to have lived on earth including even the biggest dinosaurs and it doesn’t stop there. The Blue Whale is also the largest (in volume) and longest creature to ever exist on Earth. Blue Whales can reach up to 33 meters (108 ft) in length and weigh and astounding 180 metric tons (200 short tons) i.e 171,000 kgs (377,000 pounds) or more in weight. Their tongues alone can weigh as much as an elephant and their hearts, as much as a car. While these massive creatures don’t have any teeth, they can eat up to 8,000 pounds (4 tons/ 3.6 metric tons) of tiny shrimp like creatures called krill a day, which is the equivalent of eating 64,000 bacon burgers!
Runners up: In second place is the Fin Whale (also known as finback, razorback or common rorqual) measuring upto 88 feet in length and weighing up to 80 tons. Third largest is the Sperm Whale with a maximum-recorded length of 18.3 meters and they can weigh from 40 to 52 tons.
- The Largest Fish in the Ocean– The Whale Shark with a length of 12.65 meters (41.50 ft) and a weight of more than 21.5 tonnes (47,000 lb).
- The Biggest Marine Creature with Tentacles– The Colossal Squid measuring 18 meters (59 feet) in length and weighing 900 kilograms (1 ton).
The Deadliest Creature of the Ocean– The Box Jellyfish
While the definition of deadliest is debatable, this non-threatening looking transparent blue creature often no bigger than a bowl, tops our list of the ocean’s most poisonous creatures. Having claimed the lives of over 6000 people over the years, the chances of surviving an encounter with one of the Box Jellyfish’s 15 odd lethal tentacles is slim at best. The Box Jellyfish’s primary habitat lies in the waters around, Australia, Philippians, Hawaii, and Vietnam.
Runners up: The second most poisonous creature of the ocean is the Blue Ringed Octopus which possesses a venom powerful enough to kill 26 adult humans within minutes. And thirdly is the Stonefish which has a dorsal area lined with thirteen spines that release a venomous toxin that causes severe pain, paralysis, and tissue death.
Other Deadly Creatures of the Ocean –
- The Saltwater Crocodile is said to be the most dangerous reptile to humans, with several reported fatalities each year.
- The Great White Shark known as the world’s largest predatory sea creature is on top of the ocean food chain. A danger to humans that are most often attacked due to a case of mistaken identity as a seal or another blubber-filled meal.
