Baleen Babies

8-20-2022
Katie Robertson

Depoe Bay is home to a species called Gray Whales (Eschrichtitus robustus). They are a baleen whale which means instead of cone shaped teeth that other toothed whales have, this group instead has thick, fibrous material in their place. That’s because they are filter feeders that mainly consume small crustaceans or bottom dwellers like amphipods and mysid shrimp. The baleen acts as a filter to flush out the water and only retain the small animals they are feeding on. 1 to 2 tons of these small creatures are consumed by the whales every day which makes their feeding behavior resemble grazing in some land mammals. We love to educate visitors about our incredible residents and can’t wait to bring you on our next trip. We go out every day, ocean permitting, so book your cruise online or over the phone at (541) 765-2345.