1. Locate their prey: Blue whales feed on tiny crustaceans called krill, which often congregate in large swarms. They use their excellent hearing to locate these swarms, as well as their keen sense of smell and eyesight.
2. Open wide: When they find a swarm, the whales open their massive mouths, which can be up to 10 feet wide!
3. Take in water: They then engulf huge amounts of water, often including thousands of krill.
4. Filter the water: The whale's baleen plates, which are made of keratin (the same material as our fingernails), act like a sieve. As the water flows out through the baleen plates, the krill are trapped.
5. Swallow: The trapped krill are then swallowed by the whale.
Fun fact: A blue whale can consume up to 4 tons of krill per day!
Here's a visual breakdown of the process:
* Find: Blue whales locate krill swarms using their senses.
* Open: They open their massive mouths to engulf water and krill.
* Filter: Water is expelled through baleen plates, trapping krill.
* Swallow: Trapped krill are swallowed by the whale.
This efficient filter-feeding method allows blue whales to obtain the massive amounts of food they need to sustain their enormous size.