Buzz
Baby blue whales are surprisingly hefty right from the start. These massive infants often weigh around three tons at birth. To put that into perspective, it's about the same weight as the tongue of an adult whale.
While whale calves easily surpass other babies in size, it doesn't make them any more captivating or unique than even the tiniest newborns. Pound for pound, the smallest creatures in the animal kingdom are just as delightful in their own special way.
1. Kangaroos
The birthing process of marsupials is truly extraordinary and one of the most miraculous phenomena in the animal kingdom. Baby kangaroos, or joeys, spend only about a month growing in their mother’s womb. After this brief gestation, they are born blind, hairless, and about an inch long. They then crawl into their mother’s pouch, where they continue to develop and grow for up to 400 days. Once fully matured, they emerge from the pouch looking like the adorable joeys we know, though their first appearance was more akin to a tiny, pink blob.
2. Honey possum
In the marsupial world, the honey possum holds the title of the smallest mammal at birth. These tiny creatures weigh only about 0.005 grams when born. They continue their growth in their mother's pouch, eventually reaching a weight of 2.5 grams before they are ready to explore the world on their own.
3. Pygmy seahorse
Thinkstock
The pygmy seahorse carries its pregnancy for about 11 days before giving birth. To deliver, the male seahorse twists his body to expel the tiny offspring—each only 7 to 12 millimeters long—out of his pouch, allowing them to begin their adult journey. However, the father doesn’t get much rest; it's not unusual for the female to present him with another batch of eggs just 30 minutes after he's released his brood.
4. Pygmy mouse lemur
Photo courtesy of Joachim S Muller, used under Creative Commons license
Another miniature newborn, the pygmy mouse lemur, hardly makes a ripple on the birthing scales. As the smallest primate in the world, adult pygmy mouse lemurs weigh just about an ounce, so it's no surprise that their birth weight is a mere 0.45 grams.
5. Pygmy marmoset
Thinkstock
Pygmy marmosets, the smallest monkey species on Earth, also have some of the tiniest newborns. At birth, each baby marmoset weighs around 15 grams, and they are typically born in pairs—though triplets or even single births can occur.
6. Etruscan shrew
The Etruscan shrew holds the title of the world’s smallest mammal by mass (although the bumblebee bat is the smallest by skull size). Adult Etruscan shrews reach only about 4 centimeters in length, excluding their delicate tails, which can extend up to 3 centimeters. After a four-week gestation period, baby shrews are born in litters ranging from two to six. At birth, they weigh a mere 0.2 grams and can grow up to 2.5 grams when fully mature.
7. Bee hummingbird
Photo courtesy of Carol Foil, under Creative Commons license
The bee hummingbird, the smallest bird in the world, also produces remarkably tiny offspring. As adults, these birds weigh about 2 grams, roughly equivalent to a penny, and their eggs are about the size of a coffee bean.
8. Brazilian gold frog
Photo courtesy of Farrukh, under Creative Commons license
The Brazilian gold frog ranks as the second smallest frog species in the Southern Hemisphere, with adult frogs measuring only 9.8 millimeters in body length (excluding their outstretched legs). While the exact weight of baby gold frogs at hatching is not precisely known, it is a mere fraction of their adult size.
9. Pudu
While the southern pudu is more easily recognized, it is the northern pudu that holds the title of the world’s smallest deer. As adults, they stand only about 13 inches tall and typically weigh no more than 13 pounds. Baby northern pudus usually weigh between 23 and 35 ounces, and it’s extremely rare for a pudu born weighing less than 21 ounces to survive.
10. Paedocypris carp
Maurice Kottelat/Woman's Day
Regarded as the world’s smallest fish species, the Paedocypris carp grows to a maximum length of just 7.9 millimeters. Similar to the tiny gold frog, the exact size of these carp when they hatch is difficult to estimate, but they are expected to be the smallest fish babies on the planet.
11. Pink fairy armadillo
Photo courtesy of Cliff, under Creative Commons license
The pink fairy armadillo, native to Argentina, is the smallest species of armadillo. Its unique charm comes not only from its diminutive size but also its fluffy fur. Adult pink fairies measure around 4.5 inches in length (excluding their tails), and are exceptional diggers. At birth, baby pink fairies weigh only about 3 grams, growing to a size similar to a chipmunk as they mature.
