Show Navigation

Search Results

Refine Search
Match all words
Match any word
Prints
Personal Use
Royalty-Free
Rights-Managed
(leave unchecked to
search all images)
{ 22 images found }

Loading ()...

  • Scarring on the dorsal surface of a female humpback whale’s fluke, most likely rake marks left by marine mammal predators such as killer whales (Orcinus orca) or false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens). This female was seen with calves in Tonga in 2008 and 2009. The scarring on her fluke made her easy to recognize. Her 2009 calf is visible in this photo, hiding under the adult’s body.
    scarred-fluke-humpback-whale-with-ca...tif
  • This male humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) was attacked and injured when it was very young. From this angle, the half-torn pectoral fin on the calf’s right side is visible. The most severe injuries were on the calf’s dorsal surface. My best guess is that the calf was attacked by false killer whales. This photo was taken approximately two and a half weeks after the attack. Despite significant injury, the calf had grown considerably. It was healthy and active.
    injured-humpback-whale-calf-with-mot...tif
  • Injured humpback whale calf Tahafa (calf #14 of the 2011 season) beside his mother. The calf’s wounds on its dorsal surface are visible in this photo, which I took during my initial encounter with this pair. The wounds are relatively fresh, with raw flesh exposed. A substantial portion of the anterior part of the calf’s dorsal fin is missing. Over the course of nine encounters spanning 33 days, I watched this young whale grow from a scared, injured baby to a confident young male. His mother also progressed from being understandably cautious and agitated to relaxed and confident. My best guess is that a false killer whale attack is the cause of the injuries to the calf.
    humpback-whale-calf-injuries-dorsal-...tif
  • Clear view of the dorsal fin of injured humpback whale calf Tahafa (201114), showing the wound that probably resulted from a bite. I took this photograph during my seventh encounter out of nine total encounters with this calf. This encounter was at Toku Island. The calf and his mother were the center of attention of multiple males competing for the female. There was a primary escort, with at least five other males approaching aggressively. On one occasion, I watched the primary escort another male in the belly, hitting him full force, nose-first. The impact was audible. There was also singing during the heated action, perhaps from the primary escort. My best guess is that a false killer whale attack is the cause of the injuries to the calf.
    injured-humpback-whale-calf-dorsal-f...tif
  • This photograph shows the progress of healing of the wounds on the dorsal surface of injured humpback whale calf Tahafa (calf 201114). I took this photo during my ninth and final encounter with this calf and his mother. The missing chunk on the anterior portion of the calf’s dorsal fin is clearly visible, though the wound has healed quite a bit since my first sighting of this calf just over a month earlier. The other wound on his back, anterior of the dorsal fin, has healed nicely, with just a small open area still visible. My best guess is that a false killer whale attack is the cause of the injuries to the calf.
    injured-humpback-whale-calf-recoveri...tif
  • Top-down view of Tahafa, an injured male humpback whale calf that was the 14th calf I photo-identified during the 2011 season in Vava'u, Tonga. This encounter was the fifth of nine with this mother and calf, this one in the murky waters near Port Maurelle. The pair were accompanied by an escort that stayed with them for at least 14 days. Deep scars are visible all over the calf's body, with the most serious injuries being to the front of the dorsal fin, which is almost entirely severed, and the right pectoral fin, which is cut nearly half way through in the middle of the fin. Despite the injuries, the calf was healthy, active and friendly. The size and shape of the wounds suggest the possiblity of an attack by marine mammals, possibly false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens).
    injured-humpback-whale-calf-megapter...tif
  • This photograph is from my third of nine encounters with injured humpback whale calf Tahafa (201114). Here, the calf’s wounds are clearly visible, dorsal fin nearly severed and multiple scars from attempted bites. The calf’s mother is visible below. There was an escort with the pair during this encounter. With the presence of an escort, the mother became noticeably more relaxed than in the two earlier encounters when there was no escort present. The calf was energetic and playful during this encounter. My best guess is that the wounds resulted from a coordinated attack by false killer whales.
    humpback-whale-calf-injuries-tonga-2...tif
  • This is a young male calf I gave the name Tahafa. It is the 14th calf I ID-ed during the 2011 humpback whale season in Vava'u, Tonga. The calf suffered severe injury when it was very small, perhaps from a coordinated attack by marine mammals such as false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens). Fortunately, the calf matured into a healthy juvenile over the 33-day period I was able to observe them. During that time, I recorded nine encounters in the Vava'u area and Toku Island. Visible in the background is a long-term escort that accompanied this pair for at least 14 days.
    injured-humpback-whale-calf-with-mot...tif
  • Tahafa, humpback whale calf #14 of the 2011 season in Vava'u, swimming along with his mother. This calf sustained significant injury all over its body, possibly from an attack by false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens). One of the most egregious wounds was inflicted to the anterior part of the calf's dorsal fin, which appears to have been bitten off. The wound is partially visible here. Despite the traumatic encounter, the calf grew into a strong, healthy juvenile over the 33-day period during which I came across this mother and baby nine times in both the Vava'u area and Toku Island. There was a long-term escort that accompanied this pair for at least 14 days.
    injured-humpback-whale-calf-swimming...tif
  • This is an adult female humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) with unique and easily distinguishable markings on the ventral surface of her fluke. The scars are perhaps the result of an attack or multiple attacks by orcas or false killer whales. I photographed this adult female with a calf in 2008 and in 2009, meaning that she had calves in two consecutive seasons. The calf visible in the background is female and was born in 2009. Photographed in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    humpback-whale-with-unique-scarring-...tif
  • This humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) performing a tail slap is the mother of Tahafa, calf #14 of the 2011 season in Vava'u, Tonga. Calf #14 was one of the injured calves, with multiple wounds that may have been inflicted by a pod of marine mammals, possibly false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens). I had nine encounters with this mother and calf over a period of 33 days. During that period, a male escort was with them for at least 14 days. The female, calf, escort group traveled from Vava'u to Toku Island and back to Vava'u.
    humpback-whale-fluke-tail-slap-megap...tif
  • First encounter with Tahafa (calf #14 of the 2011 season) with his mother. The calf has visible wounds on its dorsal surface. The anterior portion of its dorsal fin appears to have been bitten off. The adult female is nearly all black. I had nine encounters with this calf over 33 days, watching it grow from a shy, injured baby to a confident young male. My best guess is that the wounds were inflicted by a pack of marine mammals, possibly false killer whales.
    injured-humpback-whale-calf-tahafa-w...tif
  • Mature male killer whale (Orcinus orca) swimming in the low light of winter in northern Norway
    male-killer-whale-orca-low-light-win...tif
  • Large adult male killer whale (Orcinus orca) stalking a large school of herring in shallow water.
    orca-hunting-herring-norway-201601-0...tif
  • Mature male killer whale (Orcinus orca), with his tall dorsal fin in full display, swimming in the cold waters of Norway
    mature-male-orca-norway-201601-0566.tif
  • Mature bull killer whale (Orcinus orca) in the cold, dark winter waters of northern Norway. Note the rake marks on the orca’s body, perhaps from encounters with other male orcas.
    mature-male-killer-whale-orcinus-orc...tif
  • Female humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) playing at the surface by slapping its tail on the water. This calf was the 44th calf I ID-ed in the 2011 season. She had multiple wounds over her body, including this prominent wound on her fluke. I don't know the cause of the wounds, but I believe that the possibility of an attack by false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) is high.
    injured-humpback-whale-megaptera-nov...tif
  • Profile view of a mature male killer whale (Orcinus orca) in the cold, murky water of a fjord in northern Norway.
    orca-mature-male-norway-201601-0276.tif
  • Rear view of an adult female humpback whale with her calf swimming above her head. This female and calf were the center of attention during a competitive group heat run that took place during a torrential downpour. There were at least three adult males accompanying this female and calf. The primary escort, partially visible in the lower left corner, had white pectoral fins, as did the calf. Note the rake marks along the trailing edge of the female’s fluke, scars left by predators such as orcas or false killer whales.
    humpback-whale-female-calf-rear-view...tif
  • Many orcas passing at depth. The shallowest orca was at about 10m. There were many more scattered in all directions.
    orcas-swimmng-at-depth-norway-201601...tif
  • Mature male orca (Orcinus orca) in the foreground, with other mature males visible in the background. Pairs and small groups of mature males were common in this area of Norway, swimming apart from their larger social units. Mature males are easily recognizable by their prominent dorsal fins.
    orca-adult-male-norway-orcinus-orca-...tif
  • Part of a large group of orcas (Orcinus orca) traveling together while foraging on large schools of herring (Clupea harengus) in the cold waters of northern Norway. With an abundant food supply, most orca social units had at least one calf, as pictured here.
    orcinus-orca-norway-mother-with-calf...tif
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
x

Tony Wu Underwater Photography

  • Search Image Archive
    • All Galleries
    • Search
    • Cart
    • Lightbox
    • Client Area
  • View Portfolio
  • Read About Me
  • Send Me a Note
  • Portfolio