Renewable Revolution

Unlike toothed whales that hunt for individual prey, baleen whales -- including the blue whale, the largest animal on Earth -- eat an enormous quantity of food in one big gulp. When a blue whale opens its mouth 80 degrees, it can hoover up large schools of tiny crustaceans called krill, consuming as much as 1,100 lbs. (500 kg) at a time.


And for a blue whale, a single mouthful of food can contain 457,000 calories, making each foray a relatively efficient and satisfying meal.

A whale of an appetite:

Instead of teeth, filter-feeding whales use baleen, which are plates with frayed edges in the upper jaw that filter out tiny seafood from the water.

Baleen whales' feeding efficiency is unprecedented, says researcher Robert Shadwick. “When they take a gulp of water, they are filling their mouths with the amount of water equal to their own body mass.”

Plates of baleen are made of keratin, a protein found in hair, fingernails, and feathers.

http://www.wisegeek.com/how-much-krill-can-a-blue-whale-swallow.htm




Whales, seals and penguins could be hurting as this tiny creature--fundamental to the food web--declines
By Andrea Thompson, Climate Central on August 29, 2016

SNIPPET:

They may be small, but krill—tiny, shrimp-like creatures—play a big role in the Antarctic food chain. As climate change warms the Southern Ocean and alters sea ice patterns, though, the area of Antarctic water suitable for krill to hatch and grow could drop precipitously, a new study finds.

Read more: 🦉
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/krill-are-disappearing-from-antarctic-waters/