Baleen whales feast to prepare for migration

Each winter, humpback whales and southern right whales travel along Australia’s coastline during their annual migration from Antarctic feeding grounds to warmer breeding waters. While we sometimes see them feeding on their migration, their most important feeding happens far to the south in the rich waters of the Southern Ocean.

Both species are baleen whales, meaning they do not have teeth. Instead, they have rows of flexible baleen plates made of keratin, the same material as human fingernails. These plates act like a sieve, allowing whales to filter tiny prey from huge mouthfuls of seawater.

Humpback whales are famous for lunge feeding. They accelerate upward through dense swarms of krill or small fish, opening their mouths wide to engulf enormous volumes of water and prey. Their throat pleats expand like an accordion, allowing them to take in tens of thousands of litres in one gulp. The whale then pushes the water out through the baleen plates with its tongue, trapping the prey inside before swallowing.

Southern right whales feed a little differently. They often skim feed, swimming slowly with their mouths open while water flows continuously through their long baleen plates. Tiny crustaceans such as copepods and krill are filtered from the water and collected inside the mouth.

During summer in Antarctic waters, these whales feed intensively to build up thick layers of blubber. This stored energy fuels their long migration to Australia, where they focus on breeding and raising calves and rarely feed.

Every whale we see along the coast has travelled thousands of kilometres, powered by countless tiny krill filtered through baleen. It is one of nature’s great contrasts: some of the largest animals on Earth sustained by some of the smallest creatures in the sea.

Planning your next winter whale experience? Whale cruises at Phillip Island start back June 4th, join a Winter Whale Cruise or Dolphin and Whale Cruise to see these incredible animals along our coast.