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In general, blue whale populations migrate between their summer feeding areas near the poles and their winter breeding grounds near the tropics. There is also evidence of year-round residencies, and partial or age/sex-based migration. Blue whales are filter feeders; their diet consists almost exclusively of krill. They are generally solitary or ...
The blue whale's diet consists almost exclusively of krill. [34] Blue whales capture krill through lunge feeding; they swim towards them at high speeds as they open their mouths up to 80°. [34] [69] They may engulf 220 metric tons (220 long tons; 240 short tons) of water at one time. [73]
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.
To use baleen, the whale first opens its mouth underwater to take in water. 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 ...
Rorquals (/ ˈ r ɔːr k w əl z /) are the largest group of baleen whales, comprising the family Balaenopteridae, which contains nine extant species in two genera.They include the largest known animal that has ever lived, the blue whale, which can reach 180 tonnes (200 short tons), and the fin whale, which reaches 120 tonnes (130 short tons); even the smallest of the group, the northern minke ...
Drone videos of gray whales off Oregon have revealed new details about how the marine mammals find food. The findings were described in studies this summer. Drone video of gray whales offers new ...
Despite the common name of the species, the crabeater seal does not feed on crabs (the few crab species in its range are mostly found in very deep water [19]). Rather, it is a specialist predator on Antarctic krill ( Euphausia superba ), which comprise over 90% of the diet. [ 2 ]
The skin and blubber taken from the bowfin, beluga, or narwhal is also valued, and is eaten raw or cooked. In recent years Japan resumed hunting for whales, which they call "research whaling". Japanese research vessels refer to the harvested whale meat as incidental byproducts resulting from lethal study.