How many baleen plates can a bowhead whale have in its mouth?

A bowhead whale can have up to 680 baleen plates in its mouth.

These plates hang from the upper jaw in two racks and act as a filtering system. The whale takes in seawater containing small prey, then pushes the water back out while retaining organisms such as copepods and krill. Bowheads therefore feed without biting or chewing their prey.

The number is a maximum estimate rather than a fixed count for every individual. Baleen is made of keratin, the same structural protein found in human fingernails and hair. Bowhead whales are especially notable for their enormous heads, which can make up around one-third of their body length, and their ability to break through thick sea ice.