Right whale facts: What they eat?
Right whales are baleen whales, which means they don't have teeth. Instead, they have baleen plates in their mouths, which are long, bristle-like structures made of keratin (the same material as human hair and nails).
Right whales are filter feeders, meaning they strain tiny organisms out of the water to eat.
Here's a closer look at their diet:
* Copepods: These are small crustaceans that are a primary food source for right whales.
* Krill: These are tiny shrimp-like creatures that also make up a significant portion of their diet.
* Other small organisms: Right whales also eat small fish, jellyfish, and other plankton.
How they eat:
1. Open mouth: Right whales open their mouths wide and swim forward with their mouths open.
2. Water intake: They take in large amounts of water containing their prey.
3. Baleen filter: As they close their mouths, their baleen plates act as a filter, trapping the small organisms and allowing the water to escape.
4. Swallowing: The trapped food is then swallowed, and the process repeats.
Interesting fact:
* Right whales are often called "right" whales because they were considered the "right" whale to hunt by whalers in the past. This is because they float after they die, making them easy to recover.
Sadly, due to overhunting, right whales are now critically endangered. They face threats from ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, and habitat loss. Protecting these magnificent creatures is crucial for their survival.