Senses Senses A. Hearing. Baleen whales have well developed hearing, which is valuable in the poorly lit ocean environment where vision is less dependable. Portions of the baleen whale brain dedicated to hearing suggest this sense is excellent. Baleen whales probably hear very well in the low frequency ranges but may lack the ability to hear high frequency sounds. Baleen whales react to noises such as boat engines and cameras clicking underwater.
Baleen whales have a small external ear opening on each side of the head.
Each opening leads to a narrow auditory canal that is completely closed by a waxy substance and reduced to a strand of fibrous connective tissue. The effectiveness of sound reception and hearing through the ear canal is unknown. The middle and inner ear follow the basic mammalian ear structure. More research is needed to determine the exact mechanism for sound reception in baleen whales. A foam surrounds the ear bones.