Baleen Plate of Humpback Whale Information on this humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) Date of Discovery: March 26, 2010, 7:10 AM Location of Discovery: Onishikahirotomi, Obira Town, Rumoi District, Hokkaido Length: 10.2m Sex: Female
Residents reported, “A whale is floating in the sea,” on the morning of the discovery. The whale was examined after washing ashore and was buried afterward. This whale was the first reported humpback whale stranding on Hokkaido’s Sea of Japan coast. Humpback whales live along the coasts and have distinctivelylong pectoral fins. The whales often have barnacles attached to their chins. 270 to 400 baleen plates grow on each side of a humpback whale’s mouth. Whale baleen consists of keratin, which is the same substance as human fingernails. Whale baleen plates grow continuously. Based on an analysis of the humpback whale’s baleen plates, researchers reported that the humpback whale migrated between the Oyashio Current(waters of the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea) and the Kuroshio Current (waters around the Ogasawara Islands and Okinawa), and possibly strayed into the Sea of Japan. Whale strandings on beaches reveal clues about how the whales lived as well as changes occurring in the vast ocean. Photo: The baleen plate provided by Stranding Network Hokkaido is approximately 48 centimeters long, with the widest part measuring about 15 centimeters. The hair is thick and coarse. The overall color is black. When soaked in water and heated, the baleen plate becomes tender and easy to work with.