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Baleen in Action

The fringed baleen plates are easy to observe as this North Atlantic right whale skims the water’s surface while it feeds.
(© The Whale Center of New England)

The fringed baleen plates are easy to observe as this North Atlantic right whale skims the water’s surface while it feeds. Many baleen whales suck in as much water was possible, and then push it out through their baleen to sieve out any krill. Right whales, however, skim the water's surface. More about the right whale can be found in our Tale of a Whale featured story.