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The whale then pushes the water out, and animals such as krill are filtered by the baleen and remain as a food source for the whale. Baleen is similar to bristles and consists of keratin, the same substance found in human fingernails, skin and hair. Baleen is a skin derivative. Some whales, such as the bowhead whale, have
Krill is a rich source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids which are under development in the early 21st century as human food, dietary supplements as oil capsules, livestock food, and pet food. [ 77 ] [ 79 ] [ 84 ] Krill tastes salty with a somewhat stronger fish flavor than shrimp.
In 2010, researchers found whales carry nutrients from the depths of the ocean back to the surface using a process they called the whale pump. [29] Whales feed at deeper levels in the ocean where krill is found, but return regularly to the surface to breathe. There whales defecate a liquid rich in nitrogen and iron.
On average, a bubble blast came 27 seconds after a whale dove for food, and most were observed while the whales were doing headstands. The older and bigger a whale got, the greater the probability ...
Blue whales appear to avoid directly competing with other baleen whales. [81] [82] [83] Different whale species select different feeding spaces and times as well as different prey species. [73] [84] [85] In the Southern Ocean, baleen whales appear to feed on Antarctic krill of different sizes, which may lessen competition between them. [86]
Baleen whales have bristles made of keratin instead of teeth. The bristles filter krill and other small invertebrates from seawater. Grey whales feed on bottom-dwelling mollusks. Rorqual family (balaenopterids) use throat pleats to expand their mouths to take in food and sieve out the water.
For example, baleen whales are filter feeders but so are tiny krill. The food they filter out varies by where they live, but it’s typically made up of tiny organisms like plankton.
Killer whales play an important role in our ocean's ecosystem. Female orcas can live up to 90 years, and male orcas live up to 60 years. Whales can communicate through sounds ranging from clicks ...