1. Baleen Plates: Unlike toothed whales, baleen whales don't have teeth. Instead, they have rows of baleen plates, which are made of keratin (the same material as our fingernails) hanging from their upper jaw. These plates are long, thin, and fringed with bristles.
2. The "Gulping" Technique: To feed, baleen whales swim through patches of plankton-rich water with their mouths open. They take in a huge volume of water and plankton, often called a "gulp."
3. Filtering the Water: Once the mouth is full, the whale closes its mouth and forces the water out through the baleen plates. The bristles act like a sieve, trapping the tiny plankton and krill while allowing the water to escape.
4. Swallowing the Plankton: Once the water is expelled, the whale swallows the concentrated mass of plankton trapped on the baleen plates.
Different Techniques:
* Right whales: These whales have the largest baleen plates and feed by swimming slowly with their mouths open, filtering water as they go.
* Humpback whales: They use a technique called "bubble-net feeding" where they create a ring of bubbles around a school of krill, forcing them into a concentrated ball for easier consumption.
* Gray whales: They use their baleen plates to filter sediment on the ocean floor, feeding on small organisms like worms and crustaceans.
Conclusion:
Baleen whales have evolved a highly specialized feeding method that allows them to efficiently capture and consume large quantities of tiny plankton, making them essential players in the marine ecosystem.