What do baleen whales eat?

Baleen whales eat baitfish, herring, pollock, plankton and krill. There are 12 species of baleen whales. The group gets its name from the plates of baleen fiber in their mouths that act as teeth.

Baleen whales do not bite or chew their food. They suck in large amounts of water and filter out food, with the baleen plates. The plates are strong and made of keratin, the same protein that makes up human fingernails. Although baleen whales are some of the largest animals in the oceans, their diets consist mostly of krill, which are some of the tiniest organisms in the world.