finback
(also known as ‘fin whale‘, ‘finback whale’, ‘razor back’, or ‘common roqual’)
the fin on the finback's back
a kind of sea animal – mammal – related to the ‘baleen’ whales – with long and slender brownish-grey body; grows to 65-90 feet, weighs about 70 tons; lives for about 100 years; filter feeder, feeds on small fish, squid, crabs, shrimps and krill; found in all the oceans of the world
whale baleen
Finbacks are the second largest animals in the world – only second to the ‘blue whale’; and the fastest of all the whales – 35 Km/h which has given it the name “greyhound of the sea”!
The baleen (also called ‘whalebone’) is a tough material, like nails on our fingers, found in the upper jaw of its mouth with which it filters the water for small fish, krill, etc.
Finbacks were hunted mercilessly for this baleen (whalebone) which was formerly used to make the cloth of some garments stiff, or to shape such similar things, garments like ‘corsets’, etc.!
About the Author:BC Kumar
BC Kumar, an English Language Teacher, taught in numerous countries including Ethiopia, Oman and India, shares his knowledge and passion for the English Language. Disclaimer: This is a free educational website and all content has been compiled by the author. All copyrights to images and videos belong to their respective owners.
