Baleen whales are some of the largest animals on earth.
Characteristic baleen plates and paired blowholes help distinguish baleen whales from toothed whales. All cetaceans have a long, strong diaphragm which allows them to rapidly exhale as they surface and quickly inhale before submerging. Early humans hunted whales for food and oil. The whalebone was used to make women's corsets, buggy whips, and umbrella ribs. Most baleen whale species remain severly depleated because of this commercial whaling.