Baleen Whales Susceptible To Ingesting Plastic Due To Their Sense Of Smell, Study Warns

A team of researchers from the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) in Oban believe they may finally have uncovered one of the food-finding secrets of the giants of the deep. JOHN DURBAN/HOLLY FEARNBACH VIA SWNS.

Baleen whales use their nostrils to sniff out food – which could make them susceptible to ingesting plastic, warns a new study. Researchers say Baleens, a grouping that includes blue whales, the largest mammal on Earth, may use their smell to seek out zooplankton, which emit a chemical into the ocean.