Here's how it works:
* Baleen Plates: Instead of teeth, blue whales have baleen plates, which are made of keratin (the same material as our fingernails). These plates hang down from the upper jaw like a comb.
* Mouth Full of Water: Blue whales engulf enormous amounts of water, sometimes up to 100 tons, containing krill, small fish, and other tiny organisms.
* Filtering: They then force the water out through the baleen plates, trapping the food inside their mouths.
* Swallowing: The blue whale then swallows the concentrated food.
This filter feeding method allows them to consume massive amounts of food, which is necessary to sustain their enormous size.