With lengths of up to 50 feet 15 m and weighing up to 64 metric tonnes , pounds , the North Atlantic right whale is one of the largest species on earth. Interestingly, though they are enormous, North Atlantic right whales are filter feeders and are not a threat to people. This feeding strategy is common among several large animals in the ocean, including the whale shark , the basking shark , and other great whales. As opposed to other large baleen whales, which gulp water and filter out their prey after contracting their throat muscles and squeezing out the excess water, right whales filter feed by swimming with their mouths open and capturing prey in their specially angled baleen through which the water flows.
Their preferred prey consists of mostly pelagic crustaceans, like krill and copepods. Like all whales, North Atlantic right whales are mammals and give live birth to very large calves that are nursed for about one year. Individuals are known to undergo very long migrations between feeding grounds in sub-polar areas and calving grounds in warm temperate latitudes.
Their large size may help North Atlantic right whales and other migrating animals survive these epic journeys through waters that may provide relatively little food. During their migrations, North Atlantic right whales often come near shore, so they are particularly vulnerable to strikes by large ships or entanglement in fishing gear. The entire North Atlantic right whale population is teetering on the brink of extinction with an alarmingly accelerated decline in recent years. Approximately individuals remain, and less than a quarter of them are breeding females.
Every single death increases the urgency with which we must act if these beautiful animals are to have a future. Killer whales, the largest dolphin species, also have teeth, but their diet is different to other odontocetes. They feed on fish and squid like other toothed whale species, but will also target seals, sea birds and even other whale species - even if they are far bigger than themselves.
Killer whales are also the only known predator of great white sharks. These whales are highly social and spend the vast majority of their lives swimming in large pods of family members, led by a female. Hunting techniques are passed down through generations, so their diets depend on the region they inhabit and the pod's approach to hunting.
These highly intelligent whales have been documented creating large waves to wash seals off ice floes, and even intentionally beaching themselves to catch prey on the shore. For scientists, one way to learn what their diet was like is by looking at the shape of an individual whale's teeth. If the teeth have remained sharp, they are likely to have hunted seals and other large mammals. But if the teeth are noticeably worn down, it is because they spent their lives sucking up small fish. Plastic in the oceans poses an enormous threat as whales can become entangled in it or mistakenly swallow it.
Unlike foods in their day-to-day diets, plastic is indigestible. The material becomes lodged in their stomachs and intestines, causing blockages and severe pain. Swallowing plastic can be fatal for whales and other sea creatures, even if they are otherwise completely healthy. In February , a stranded Cuvier's beaked whale in Norway was found to have ingested around 30 plastic bags. It is estimated that more than eight million tonnes of plastic ends up in Earth's oceans every year.
Experts are warning that by , there could be more plastic in the water than fish. This man-made material is now found on the sea floor , at the surface, on coastlines and even embedded in Arctic sea ice. Read more about the lives of marine animals and find out how Museum scientists are researching them.
Early ancestors of the ocean's biggest animals once walked on land. Follow their extraordinary journey from shore to sea.
A series of perfectly-preserved humpback whale foetuses reveal how whales grow before they're born. Get email updates about our news, science, exhibitions, events, products, services and fundraising activities. You must be over the age of Privacy notice.
Smart cookie preferences. Change cookie preferences Accept all cookies. News Articles Sightings Contact Us. A Humpback whale showing its large mouth! What do whales eat? This determines how and what they will munch on… Baleen Whales Baleen whales have baleen instead of teeth and include, right whales, gray whales, rorquals, and others. In an attempt to escape from the noise, the panicked fish swim upwards.
Finally the whales swim up very quickly from the bottom, open mouthed and eat the trapped fish! Toothed Whales Toothed whales have, well you guessed it, teeth! The echo returns and is received along the lower jaw of the animal.
The signals regarding the location, size and kinds of foods available in their surroundings are transmitted to the inner ear to build up a 3D picture.
Peek-a-boo Orca coming up for a breath in the misty Salish Sea. Photo taken by Captain Yves with a zoom lens. In the water around Vancouver Island there are two distinct eco types… Resident Orca This ecotype loves to feed on Chinook Salmon as they are biggest and most energetically efficient prey but other species of salmon have also been found in their diet. Transient Orca calf and family.
Photo taken by Spring Tide Crew with a zoom lens. Lets eat! Removing the Elwha Damn. Humpback whales: why are they so lumpy and bumpy? Pectoral fins, head, throat and tail, all covered in bumps!
Record numbers of humpback calves spotted. There were no humpbacks off southwest B. How do Whales Sleep? How Do Whales Sleep? Whales are air breathing mammals just like us. They must surface to breathe.
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