Fin-tastic Feeding Feat

Fin whales, despite being the second largest whale to roam our oceans, are often called "greyhounds of the sea", as they are capable of bursts of speed up to 23 mph. Pretty amazing for a 80 ton, 78 foot sea-going critter!

New research now reveals another amazing feat; the ability to bring that huge body to a screeching halt in 3 seconds! It's all part of the way they feed. Check out this great set of illustrations from the New York Times. Opening the whale's mouth creates such enormous drag, that the lunging whale stops dead in its tracks, swallowing a mouthful of water the size of a school bus, and weighing even more than the whale itself!

Fin whales, like most of the so-called "great whales" make a living by feeding on some of the world's smallest critters - krill.  A lot of krill. Around a ton a day, for a fin whale, which is around four hours of feeding time.

It's hard to estimate the current size of the world fin whale population, but scientists believe that it is at a fraction of the pre-whaling era. Despite the decline in whale numbers, krill is getting harder to find, as climate change seems to be impacting krill populations, as do new fisheries seeking out krill. Many scientists believe that "fishing down the food web" disrupts entire ecosystems. At the very least, it creates competition for a declining resource.

Check out our Seafood Watch pocket guides to make sure you are part of the solution and not the problem.

Watch this close encounter with a fin whale and her calf!