Humpback Whale Milk From Nursing Calf

This is milk that escaped from the mouth of a female humpback whale calf (a very white one that I nicknamed Snow White) after nursing from her mother. Calves often open their mouths and appear to gulp water after they nurse, possibly to flush excess milk. Note that the milk was thick and coagulated in the seawater. This makes sense, as the milk has a high fat content in order to support the high caloric demand of a growing calf.

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Image Size: 5501x3094 / 48.7MB; https://www.photoshelter.com/support/license#rm; https://www.tony-wu.com/contact-tony-wu; Whale Humpback Whale Animalia Chordata Mammalia Eutheria Cetacea Mysticeti Balaenopteridae Megaptera novaeangliae Cetartiodactyla Baleen Whale CITES Appendix 1 Filter Feeder Endangered: IUCN Red List Marine Mammal Mysticete Rorqual Calf Mother and Calf South Pacific Tonga Vava'u

This is milk that escaped from the mouth of a female humpback whale calf (a very white one that I nicknamed Snow White) after nursing from her mother. Calves often open their mouths and appear to gulp water after they nurse, possibly to flush excess milk. Note that the milk was thick and coagulated in the seawater. This makes sense, as the milk has a high fat content in order to support the high caloric demand of a growing calf.