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  • This is a female humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) breaching. The whale next to her is a male, one of five participating in a heat run that centered upon this female. There were whales breaching all over the place in the early morning on this day. This female breached and slapped her pectoral fin on the surface prior to the heat run developing.
    humpback-whale-female-breaching-heat...tif
  • An adult female humpback whale (Megaptera novaengliae) breaching. She and her calf breached together for a long time. Watching the pair, it certainly seemed as if the mother was teaching the calf to breach, and that they were playing together.
    female-humpback-whale-breaching-2005...tif
  • Breaching humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) at Toku Island. This was the bigger of two whales that were traveling together. The other whale did not breach, while this one breached repeatedly.
    breaching-humpback-whale-megaptera-n...tif
  • Frontal view of an adult female humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching. This female had a calf, and the pair both engaged in breaching for prolonged periods. Sailing yacht visible in the background. Photographed in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    breaching-humpback-whale-front-view-...tif
  • Frontal view of an adult female humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching. This female had a calf, and the pair both engaged in breaching for prolonged periods. Photographed in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    breaching-female-humpback-whale-fron...tif
  • Humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaengliae) breaching in front of an island. Taking photographs of baby humpback whales breaching can be difficult, as the little whales don't achieve as much hang time as adult whales.
    humpback-whale-calf-breaching-in-fro...tif
  • Energetic male humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) reentering the water after breaching, person visible in the background This calf breached continuously for an extended period.
    humpback-whale-calf-breaching-underw...tif
  • Breaching humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) demonstrating incredible power as it launches itself from the ocean
    humpback-whale-breaching-201608-3916.tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) female breaching together with her male calf. The calf had a large wound on his left peduncle area, one that appeared to be the result of a large bite. It was healing well. The calf had a propensity to stray for substantial distances from his mother. He was also thin for his size, though highly energetic.
    humpback-whale-female-breaching-with...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching. Photographed in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    breaching-humpback-whale-megaptera-n...tif
  • Young southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) breaching. Photographed with the permission of the Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa.
    southern-right-whale-breaching-eubal...tif
  • A North Pacific hemisphere humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae kuzira) breaching on a sunny day in the calm waters of Chatham Strait in Alaska.
    humpback-whale-calf-breaching-alaska...tif
  • Humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching. This calf's mother was among whales engaged in bubble net feeding. The calf did not participate in the social foraging, but tagged along some distance behind. The adult female separated from the group from time to time, perhaps to feed this calf.
    breaching-humpback-whale-calf-chatha...tif
  • An adult female humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching. This female had a calf with her. Photographed in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    adult-female-humpback-whale-breachin...tif
  • Male humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching. Photographed in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    breaching-humpback-whale-calf-tonga-...tif
  • Humpback whale breaching near Fatumanga island in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga, with seawater streaming off the whale's body.
    humpback-whale-breaching-tonga-20120...tif
  • This breaching humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a female that was with its calf (that I named Orion), the 13th I counted in the 2007 season in Vava'u, Tonga. The conditions were calm on this day, and the mother and calf spent a long time playing around the boat. The island in the background is Hunga Island.
    breaching-humpback-whale-megaptera-n...tif
  • Breaching humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). This is an escort that was with Tahafa, calf #14 of the 2011 season in Tonga, and mother for an extended period of time spanning at least 14 days.
    breaching-humpback-whale-megaptera-n...tif
  • Adult male humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching at Toku Island. This was an escort that remained with a mother and calf, the 14th calf I ID-ed in the 2011 season in Tonga, for at least 14 days. Note that some of the tubercles on the whale's head are red, likely due to confrontations with other male humpback whales. I witnessed several such confrontations underwater that involved significant body contact.
    humpback-whale-breaching-megaptera-n...tif
  • Male humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) breaching on a sunny day in the South Pacific
    humpback-whale-calf-breaching-tonga-...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) breaching on a beautiful sunny day.
    humpback-whale-breaching-beautiful-s...tif
  • Humpback whale calf breaching in Alaska. This calf’s mother was part of a large group of whales engaged in bubble net feeding. The calf was left to play while its mother fed. The adult female broke from the group from time to time to spend time with the calf, perhaps to nurse the young whale.
    breaching-humpback-whale-calf-alaska...tif
  • A very young southern right whale calf breaching. Note that the calf’s callosities are just forming. There are no noticeable whale lice, barnacles, or other parasites attached to the calf or the calf’s callosities. This demonstrates that the community of parasites that are found on southern right whales colonize each animal as it matures. Photographed with the permission of the Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa.
    young-southern-right-whale-calf-brea...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) male calf breaching in choppy seas and overcast conditions. Photographed in Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    humpback-whale-calf-breaching-stormy...tif
  • A humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching and playing while its mother engaged in bubble-net feeding with a social foraging group of whale nearby. Photographed in Chatham Strait, Alaska.
    playful-humpback-whale-calf-breachin...tif
  • An adult female humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching, just about to re-enter the water. This female had a calf with her. Photographed in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    adult-female-humpback-whale-breachin...tif
  • Sperm whale calf (Physeter macrocephalus) breaching. Photographed in the Ogasawara archipelago of Japan, also known as the Bonin Islands in English.
    breaching-sperm-whale-calf-physeter-...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching in front of Hunga island in Vava'u, Tonga
    humpback-whale-breaching-megaptera-n...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching during a break from bubble net feeding. This whale was one of six that were engaged in social foraging.
    humpback-whale-breaching-alaska-2016...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) that was involved in a weven-whale heat run breaching. The heat run merged with three additional whales, then split again to six or seven whales
    breaching-humpback-whale-viewed-from...tif
  • An adult female humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching. This female had a calf with her. Photographed in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    adult-female-humpback-whale-breachin...tif
  • Humpback whales with white dorsal surfaces on their pectoral fins are relatively uncommon around Tonga. They are more common in the northern hemisphere. Here is a humpback whale with white pectoral fins breaching during the 2012 breeding season, when there were an unusually high number of these individuals in the area.
    breaching-humpback-whale-white-pecto...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaengliae) breaching on a sunny day with blue water
    breaching-humpback-whale-tonga-20100...tif
  • Breaching humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) near Hout Bay, South Africa
    humpback-whale-breaching-south-afric...tif
  • Adult male humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching at Toku Island. This was an escort that was associated with a mother and calf (Tahafa, calf #14 of the 2011 season in Tonga) for at least 14 days. Note that some of the tubercles on the whale's head are red, likely due to confrontations with other male humpback whales. I witnessed several such confrontations underwater that involved significant body contact.
    breaching-humpback-whale-megaptera-n...tif
  • Female humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching. She was engaged in play with her male calf, which was inquisitive and playful.
    humpback-whale-female-breaching-tong...tif
  • One of a pair of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) that took turns breaching for an extended duration. Photographed in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    humpback-whale-breaching-tonga-20120...tif
  • Adult female humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching. Photographed in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    breaching-humpback-whale-female-mega...tif
  • This sequence of ten photographs depicts a female humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a breach. I took the photos in this sequence while in the water, using a fisheye lens, with a shutter speed of 1/6400 of a second to freeze the action. In spite of this, part of the second image in the sequence is blurry. This provides an indication of the incredible acceleration achieved during the beginning of a whale breach.
    humpback-whale-calf-breaching-sequen...tif
  • This humpback whale was part of a bubble-net feeding group in Icy Strait, Alaska. This breach was one of a series of breaches and pectoral slaps that occurred in tandem with the end of social foraging, with the whales going separate ways.
    humpback-whale-breaching-alaska-2018...tif
  • This North Pacific humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae kuzira) was part of a group of whales that engaged in cooperative bubble-net feeding for several days. One morning, this whale breached multiple times, prompting the other whales in the group to breach and pectoral slap for an extended period of time, as they ended their social foraging behavior and the whales went their separate ways. The weather was unusually clear, providing a view of the Fairweather Range of mountains in the background.
    humpback-whale-breaching-fairweather...tif
  • This North Pacific humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae kuzira) was part of a group of whales that engaged in cooperative bubble-net feeding for several days. One morning, this whale breached multiple times, prompting the other whales in the group to breach and pectoral slap for an extended period of time, as they ended their social foraging behavior and the whales went their separate ways.
    humpback-whale-breaching-alaska-2018...tif
  • This sequence of 17 images shows a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a forward breach. As the whale emerges from the ocean, water streams off the animal’s body, as well as from the sides of the whale’s mouth. The whale exhales with great force as it surfaces, creating a cloud of water vapor, then inhales through open nostrils before plunging back into the water. The entire sequence spans just over one second of time. Image 3 of 17.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-seq...tif
  • This North Pacific humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae kuzira) was part of a group of whales that engaged in cooperative bubble-net feeding for several days. One morning, this whale breached multiple times, prompting the other whales in the group to breach and pectoral slap for an extended period of time, as they ended their social foraging behavior and the whales went their separate ways.
    humpback-whale-breaching-alaska-2018...tif
  • This sequence of 17 images shows a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a forward breach. As the whale emerges from the ocean, water streams off the animal’s body, as well as from the sides of the whale’s mouth. The whale exhales with great force as it surfaces, creating a cloud of water vapor, then inhales through open nostrils before plunging back into the water. The entire sequence spans just over one second of time. Image 6 of 17.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-seq...tif
  • This sequence of 17 images shows a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a forward breach. As the whale emerges from the ocean, water streams off the animal’s body, as well as from the sides of the whale’s mouth. The whale exhales with great force as it surfaces, creating a cloud of water vapor, then inhales through open nostrils before plunging back into the water. The entire sequence spans just over one second of time. Image 10 of 17.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-seq...tif
  • Humpback whales exhale forcefully when they breach, inhaling again prior to re-entering the water, as demonstrated by this playful calf. This young whale was with its mother and an escort. The escort was also engaged in energetic surface displays. The calf’s mother, however, did not engage in any surface behaviour.
    humpback-whale-calf-exhaling-while-b...tif
  • This sequence of 17 images shows a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a forward breach. As the whale emerges from the ocean, water streams off the animal’s body, as well as from the sides of the whale’s mouth. The whale exhales with great force as it surfaces, creating a cloud of water vapor, then inhales through open nostrils before plunging back into the water. The entire sequence spans just over one second of time. Image 17 of 17.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-seq...tif
  • This sequence of 17 images shows a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a forward breach. As the whale emerges from the ocean, water streams off the animal’s body, as well as from the sides of the whale’s mouth. The whale exhales with great force as it surfaces, creating a cloud of water vapor, then inhales through open nostrils before plunging back into the water. The entire sequence spans just over one second of time. Image 16 of 17.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-seq...tif
  • This sequence of 17 images shows a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a forward breach. As the whale emerges from the ocean, water streams off the animal’s body, as well as from the sides of the whale’s mouth. The whale exhales with great force as it surfaces, creating a cloud of water vapor, then inhales through open nostrils before plunging back into the water. The entire sequence spans just over one second of time. Image 12 of 17.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-seq...tif
  • This sequence of 17 images shows a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a forward breach. As the whale emerges from the ocean, water streams off the animal’s body, as well as from the sides of the whale’s mouth. The whale exhales with great force as it surfaces, creating a cloud of water vapor, then inhales through open nostrils before plunging back into the water. The entire sequence spans just over one second of time. Image 9 of 17.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-seq...tif
  • This sequence of 17 images shows a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a forward breach. As the whale emerges from the ocean, water streams off the animal’s body, as well as from the sides of the whale’s mouth. The whale exhales with great force as it surfaces, creating a cloud of water vapor, then inhales through open nostrils before plunging back into the water. The entire sequence spans just over one second of time. Image 4 of 17.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-seq...tif
  • This sequence of 17 images shows a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a forward breach. As the whale emerges from the ocean, water streams off the animal’s body, as well as from the sides of the whale’s mouth. The whale exhales with great force as it surfaces, creating a cloud of water vapor, then inhales through open nostrils before plunging back into the water. The entire sequence spans just over one second of time. Image 2 of 17.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-seq...tif
  • Breaching humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), one of six whales involved in a competitive group heat run
    humpback-whale-breaching-heat-run-to...tif
  • This sequence of 17 images shows a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a forward breach. As the whale emerges from the ocean, water streams off the animal’s body, as well as from the sides of the whale’s mouth. The whale exhales with great force as it surfaces, creating a cloud of water vapor, then inhales through open nostrils before plunging back into the water. The entire sequence spans just over one second of time. Image 15 of 17.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-seq...tif
  • This sequence of 17 images shows a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a forward breach. As the whale emerges from the ocean, water streams off the animal’s body, as well as from the sides of the whale’s mouth. The whale exhales with great force as it surfaces, creating a cloud of water vapor, then inhales through open nostrils before plunging back into the water. The entire sequence spans just over one second of time. Image 13 of 17.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-seq...tif
  • This sequence of 17 images shows a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a forward breach. As the whale emerges from the ocean, water streams off the animal’s body, as well as from the sides of the whale’s mouth. The whale exhales with great force as it surfaces, creating a cloud of water vapor, then inhales through open nostrils before plunging back into the water. The entire sequence spans just over one second of time. Image 11 of 17.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-seq...tif
  • This sequence of 17 images shows a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a forward breach. As the whale emerges from the ocean, water streams off the animal’s body, as well as from the sides of the whale’s mouth. The whale exhales with great force as it surfaces, creating a cloud of water vapor, then inhales through open nostrils before plunging back into the water. The entire sequence spans just over one second of time. Image 8 of 17.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-seq...tif
  • This sequence of 17 images shows a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a forward breach. As the whale emerges from the ocean, water streams off the animal’s body, as well as from the sides of the whale’s mouth. The whale exhales with great force as it surfaces, creating a cloud of water vapor, then inhales through open nostrils before plunging back into the water. The entire sequence spans just over one second of time. Image 5 of 17.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-seq...tif
  • This sequence of 17 images shows a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a forward breach. As the whale emerges from the ocean, water streams off the animal’s body, as well as from the sides of the whale’s mouth. The whale exhales with great force as it surfaces, creating a cloud of water vapor, then inhales through open nostrils before plunging back into the water. The entire sequence spans just over one second of time. Image 7 of 17.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-seq...tif
  • This sequence of 17 images shows a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a forward breach. As the whale emerges from the ocean, water streams off the animal’s body, as well as from the sides of the whale’s mouth. The whale exhales with great force as it surfaces, creating a cloud of water vapor, then inhales through open nostrils before plunging back into the water. The entire sequence spans just over one second of time. Image 1 of 17.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-seq...tif
  • Female humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) reentering the water after executing a breach. Many of the calves during the 2011 calving season exhibited multiple injuries, as this one did. The wounds appear as if they were inflicted by multiple, simultaneous attacks, suggestive of pack hunting by marine mammals.
    humpback-whale-calf-underwater-after...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching in a forward direction. Photographed in Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-ton...tif
  • This sequence of 17 images shows a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a forward breach. As the whale emerges from the ocean, water streams off the animal’s body, as well as from the sides of the whale’s mouth. The whale exhales with great force as it surfaces, creating a cloud of water vapor, then inhales through open nostrils before plunging back into the water. The entire sequence spans just over one second of time. Image 14 of 17.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-seq...tif
  • Two of three humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) that breached in tandem for an extended period of time. Photographed in Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    humpback-whales-breaching-together-m...tif
  • Female humpback whale executing a face flop forward breach. When humpback whales perform this maneuver, jets of water often shoot out from the sides of their mouths and their blowholes, as is visible here. This female was playing with her calf, which was breaching nearby.
    humpback-whale-female-forward-breach...tif
  • A male humpback whale calf re-entering the water after executing a breach. The calf is facing away from the camera, with his belly up to the air. The substantial displacement of water provides an indication of the calf’s mass.
    humpback-whale-calf-landing-from-bre...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaengliae) breaching against a backdrop of blue water
    humpback-whale-breach-200508-0909.tif
  • This was my ninth and final sighting of injured male humpback whale calf Tahafa (201114). I took this photograph in Vava’u, after seeing this calf and his mother twice at Toku Island, which is approximately 40km away. By this stage, the calf seems to have completely overcome the trauma of being attacked and injured at an early age. He was playful, energetic, and proactively sought attention. His mother was relaxed throughout this final encounter.
    injured-humpback-whale-calf-tahafa-b...tif
  • A male humpback whale calf playing with his mother. The adult whale alternated between breaching and slapping her fluke against the ocean surface, while the calf swam around her and breached. The calf was skinny for his size and had a prominent injury on the right side of his caudal stem area. The wound, which seemed to have healed for the most part, appeared to be the result of a large bite. The undersized calf was energetic, playful, and had a propensity to venture substantial distances from his mother.
    humpback-whale-mother-calf-playing-t...tif
  • Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) breaching clear of the ocean surface. Note that the dolphin’s eye is closed.
    indo-pacific-bottlenose-dolphin-sout...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) spitting out water while executing a forward breach.
    humpback-whale-spitting-water-forwar...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) executing a forward face-flop breach.
    humpback-whale-forward-breach-tonga-...tif
  • Adult female humpback whale (Megaptera novaengliae) executing a forward face-flop breach
    female-humpback-whale-forward-face-f...tif
  • I refer to this as the humpback whale Hallelujah pose. This whale lifted itself out of the water with its pectoral fins up, held the position for a few seconds, then slipped back down into the water.
    humpback-whale-unusual-hallelujah-po...tif
  • Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin surfing the swells in South Africa. Tursiops aduncus
    indo-pacific-bottlenose-dolphin-surf...tif
  • Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) creating a beautiful wake as it slices through the surface of the ocean at high speed
    indo-pacific-bottlenose-dolphin-sout...tif
  • An Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) leaping out of the surf in South Africa
    indo-pacific-bottlenose-dolphin-surf...tif
  • Female Indo-pacific common dolphin (Delphinus delphis tropicalis) plunging back into the water to grab fish. This dolphin was part of a group systematically attacking a ball of bait fish.
    indo-pacific-common-dolphin-hunting-...tif
  • Indo-pacific common dolphins (Delphinus delphis tropicalis) implementing a coordinated attack on a ball of baitfish. The dolphin in the middle is flipping into the water to grab a fish that it's seen.
    indo-pacific-common-dolphins-hunting...tif
  • Indo-Pacific common dolphins (Delphinus delphis tropicalis) racing at high speed
    indo-pacific-common-dolphins-south-a...tif
  • Indo-Pacific Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis tropicalis) leaping clear of the water while attacking a baitball of sardines.
    indo-pacific-common-dolphin-south-af...tif
  • Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) surfing. Note that the dolphin’s eye is closed. Also note the teeth rake marks on the dorsal surface of the animal. These are likely to be scars from encounters with other dolphins.
    indo-pacific-bottlenose-dolphin-sout...tif
  • Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) leaping out of the water while surfing among swells in South Africa
    bottlenose-dolphin-surfing-tursiops-...tif
  • A young southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) breaching. Note the development of the callosities. When the whale has matured and the callosities fully developed (complete with communities of commensal organisms), the pattern and layout of these callosities will facilitate photo identification. Photographed with the permission of the Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa.
    young-southern-right-whale-breaching...tif
  • This is a North Pacific humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae kuzira) breaching at 9:30PM in Alaska. Warm light from the final minutes of sunlight for the day illuminated the whale and ocean spray in a rainbow of color, reflected in the calm evening water.
    humpback-whale-breaching-at-night-al...tif
  • This is a North Pacific humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae kuzira) breaching at 9:30PM in Alaska. Warm light from the final minutes of sunlight for the day illuminated the whale and ocean spray in a rainbow of color, reflected in the calm evening water.
    humpback-whale-breaching-at-night-al...tif
  • Three adult whale breaching together
    humpback-whales-breaching-together-t...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) executing a reverse tail slap, with dorsal surface hitting the surface of the ocean. This was an adult female with an accompanying calf. The mother and baby spent several hours playing together, slapping the ocean surface with their tails, breaching, and engaging in other activities. The calf was Orion, the 13th calf I counted during the 2007 season in Vava'u, Tonga.
    humpback-whale-reverse-tail-slap-meg...tif
  • This is a view from underwater of an adult female humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a reverse tail slap or penduncle slap. Pictured here, the whale has just slapped the surface of the ocean with the dorsal side of her penduncle and fluke, resulting in the copious whitewater and froth visible in this image. This whale did this repeatedly as part of extended play with her female calf, which was executing tail slaps and breaching.
    humpback-whale-reverse-tail-slap-und...tif
  • This small but steady stream of bubbles made it possible to locate calf 201238 (male) and his mother, even in atrociously poor visibility like this, with the whales located in deep, dark water. In this photo, the calf is starting to rise to the surface, the faint silhouette of his mother just barely visible. The adult female seemed to leak a steady stream of air from her blowholes, almost as if she had a leak. This was true over repetitive encounters (see separate close-up photo of the female’s blowholes leaking air). More puzzling, however, was the fact that the adult stopped streaming bubbles just before our final encounter with her and the calf. Did the mother have a blowhole leak? Or was she knowingly letting air escape? The calf was a shy boy, always sticking close to his mother. The pair put on a great tail-slapping and breaching display for us.
    humpback-whale-leaking-air-from-blow...tif
  • A very skinny male humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) that had a tendency to roam far away from his mother. This habit may help explain the multiple scars covering his body, including what appeared to be the remnants of a large bite on the left side of his penduncle, just above the fluke, as well as the plethora of additional scratches and scars on his torso. Despite being undersized and covered with injuries, this calf was healthy and energetic. He swam a lot and played often with his mother, including tail slapping and breaching.
    humpback-whale-calf-male-skinny-with...tif
  • Breaching humpback whale calf with a scar clearly visible on its pectoral fin that most likely resulted from the bite of a cookie cutter shark (Isistius brasiliensis). There are also other slicing injuries visible  on the calf’s left pectoral fin.
    humpback-whale-calf-cookie-cutter-sh...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) executing a reverse tail slap, with dorsal surface hitting the surface of the ocean. This was an adult female with an accompanying calf. The mother and baby spent several hours playing together, slapping the ocean surface with their tails, breaching, and engaging in other activities. The calf was Orion, the 13th calf I counted during the 2007 season in Vava'u, Tonga.
    humpback-whale-reverse-tail-slap-meg...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) executing a reverse tail slap, with dorsal surface hitting the surface of the ocean. This was an adult female with an accompanying calf. The mother and baby spent several hours playing together, slapping the ocean surface with their tails, breaching, and engaging in other activities. The calf was Orion, the 13th calf I counted during the 2007 season in Vava'u, Tonga.
    humpback-whale-reverse-tail-slap-meg...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) fluke. This was an adult female with an accompanying calf. The mother and baby spent several hours playing together, slapping the ocean surface with their tails, breaching, and engaging in other activities. The calf was Orion, the 13th calf I counted during the 2007 season in Vava'u, Tonga.
    humpback-whale-fluke-megaptera-novae...tif
  • This is a view from underwater of an adult female humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) executing a reverse tail slap or penduncle slap. The whale has just slapped the surface of the ocean with the dorsal side of her penduncle and fluke, resulting in the copious whitewater and froth visible in this image. This whale did this repeatedly as part of extended play with her female calf, which was executing tail slaps and breaching.
    humpback-whale-reverse-tail-slap-und...tif
  • Two humpback whales playing and breaching for an extended period. One of the whales had a white pectoral fin, the 7th for the season 201207.
    humpback-whale-spyhop-and-twirl-tong...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) executing a reverse tail slap, with dorsal surface hitting the surface of the ocean. This was an adult female with an accompanying calf. The mother and baby spent several hours playing together, slapping the ocean surface with their tails, breaching, and engaging in other activities. The calf was Orion, the 13th calf I counted during the 2007 season in Vava'u, Tonga.
    humpback-whale-reverse-tail-slap-meg...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) executing a series of tail slaps. This was an adult female with an accompanying calf. The mother and baby spent several hours playing together, slapping the ocean surface with their tails, breaching, and engaging in other activities. The calf was Orion, the 13th calf I counted during the 2007 season in Vava'u, Tonga.
    humpback-whale-fluke-tail-slap-megap...tif
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Tony Wu Underwater Photography

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