<P> Today, the blue whale is renowned for being the largest animal ever to have lived . In part because of its legendary status, many misconceptions still exist . For example, its size is often exaggerated . Many popular sources give the maximum length as 110 feet (34 meters) or more . While such lengths were reported in the whaling records, they were not scientifically verified and were probably exaggerated . Virtually all books and articles that mention the blue whale claim that it can reach 100 feet (30 meters). This is probably true (the largest verified specimen was 30 meters, 98 feet but is highly misleading as the average size is much smaller . </P> <P> The global population was reduced by more than 99% during the 20th century . Most of this was in the Antarctic, which had been reduced to 360 individuals or about 0.15% of their original numbers; other populations were not as badly depleted . The Antarctic blue whale population is growing at the relatively rapid rate of about 7.3% per year, but it was hunted to such a low level that it remains at a tiny fraction of pre-whaling numbers . The global population still requires protection, but it is not in immediate danger of extinction . </P> <P> Other myths and misconceptions include that the blue whale's arteries can be swum through, that the heartbeat can be heard from 19 miles away, and that the blue whale penis is 16 feet long . </P> <P> The Natural History Museum in London contains a famous mounted skeleton and life - size model of a blue whale, which were both the first of their kind in the world, but have since been replicated at the University of California, Santa Cruz . Similarly, the American Museum of Natural History in New York City has a full - size model in its Milstein Family Hall of Ocean Life . A juvenile blue whale skeleton named KOBO is installed at the New Bedford Whaling Museum in New Bedford, Massachusetts . </P>

The largest fishery on earth located along the west coast of chile consists of