1. Bryde’s Whales in Thailand Sometimes Wait for Fish to Come to Them
A research team from the University of Tokyo studied a type of whale called the Bryde’s whale in the waters of Thailand. They discovered that these whales sometimes float vertically in the water, keeping their mouths wide open and staying still. They wait for small fish to swim into their mouths on their own. This discovery was published as a scientific paper in 2017. [1]
Most whales actively chase their prey. However, this method used by Bryde’s whales is passive; they simply wait. The small fish are attracted to light or food and swim into the open mouth without being chased. [1]
2. Most Baleen Whales Lunge at Food and Expand Their Throats
While the waiting strategy is rare, most baleen whales feed by lunging at schools of fish. When they lunge forward, the skin around their throat, which has ridges, expands like a balloon. This allows them to take in a huge amount of water and food at once. [2]
After closing their mouths, the whales use their tongues to push the water out. As the water leaves, plates called baleen, which line the upper jaw, act as a filter. The water passes through, while the food is caught in the baleen. [2]
3. Humpback Whales Work in Teams and Blow Bubble Nets to Trap Fish
Humpback whales sometimes work in teams of several individuals. They swim in circles around a school of fish, blowing bubbles. These bubbles form a wall that traps the fish, preventing them from escaping. Then, the whales open their mouths wide and swallow the trapped fish all at once. [3]
This hunting method is called bubble-net feeding. It is a hunt that involves cooperation among whales. However, researchers note that the distribution and timing of fish are also important factors in how whales learn these techniques, not just social learning. [3]
4. Blue Whales Eat Much More Than Scientists Once Thought
Baleen whales have different diets. Some eat tiny creatures called krill, which look like shrimp, while others eat small fish. [4]
In 2021, a research team in the United States attached recording devices to many whales to study their eating habits. They found that during its feeding season, blue whales ate about 16 tons of krill per day. This is up to three times the amount scientists had previously estimated for all baleen whales. [4]
5. Whale Baleen Is Made of Keratin, the Same Material as Fingernails
The "whiskers" of a whale are not hair. They are actually made of keratin, a substance also found in human nails and hair. They are not nails, but they are made of a similar protein. [5]
These triangular plates grow along the upper jaw. On just one side of the jaw, there are about 200 to 400 plates, though the number varies by species. [5]
6. In the Past, People Used Whale Baleen to Make Many Everyday Objects
In Europe, whale baleen was used to make the frames of women’s clothing, such as corsets, as well as umbrella ribs and riding whips. This use was especially common in the 18th and 19th centuries. [6]
In Japan, items like hairpins and plates were also made from baleen during the Edo period. However, the hunting of many whales for their meat, oil, and baleen caused the numbers of species like the blue whale to drop significantly. Today, whaling is strictly restricted as a result of those declines. Modern umbrella ribs and clothing frames are now made from materials like plastic. [6]
7. Watching Videos to Spot How Different Whales Hunt and Eat
If you see whales in animal shows or encyclopedia videos, watch how they eat. Are they waiting still, charging in, or blowing bubbles with others? Noticing these differences in movement can help you understand how they hunt. [1]