WTF Wednesday, er Thursday: Baleen Plate

So this wasn’t my find but good lord I wish it was! The lovely Elyssa from Coal Coast Discovery Days made this incredible discovery mid rock pool ramble and posted it to a marine group we’re a part of. After witnessing my total breakdown as to just how damn cool the find was (once we had confirmation from The Australian Museum) she kindly offered it to me share with you all.

And yes, it’s a baleen plate from a whale and apparently it was very, VERY smelly! Honestly, I’m so jealous I didn’t find this. I love all things whale, probably not the greatest when it comes from a dead whale, but they are fascinating animals and being able to get close to one, even just a piece of one is a real privilege. Okay, in writing that sounds more weird than it did in my head 🙈 Any hoo.

There are two suborders of whales: the toothed whales and the baleen whales. Humpbacks and Southern Right Whales are both baleen whales and this is what they have inside their mouths instead of teeth. Basically these plates that are made of keratin (like our fingernails and hair) hang from the whale’s upper gum line and end with those super distinctive bristles; kind of like a hairy curtain (apologies for any images that come to mind from that description 🤣😳).

The whales swim through the water with their mouth open, taking in huge amounts of water and food such as krill, plankton and small fish. Now they’re not going to want to swallow loads of water when they’re really after a meal, so they then use their tongue to push the water up and out through the baleen which acts like a sieve, leaving all the small fish and teeny ocean critters behind. Then, they essentially lick the baleen clean swallowing all that fishy goodness in the process.

Thanks again to Elyssa!

Baleen Plate – Northern Illawarra