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  • Lifting the heavy skull of an exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) without damaging it is a delicate procedure.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Vertebrae of exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) visible in the foreground, team of scientists, students and volunteers taking a break from the hard work in the backgound
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Gloves and a knife used in the cleaning of the fin whale (Balaennoptera physalus) carcass. Cleaning and preparing a whale skeleton is difficult and smelly work.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Lifting the heavy skull of an exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) without damaging it is a delicate procedure.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Proper preparations for lifting the upper skull of the whale from the excavation put were required to ensure integrity of the skull structure.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Piecing together fragments of the spinal discs of an exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) is time-consuming and tedious, but there are rewarding moments when a match is found.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Scientists, students and volunteers engaged in cleaning the bones of an 18-meter long female fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) that was found floating in Tokyo harbor in early 2012 and buried for about 16 months to facilitate decomposition. Even with the passage of so much time, there was still significant soft tissue and a power odor. Pictured here are the lower jaw bones.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Lifting the heavy skull of an exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) without damaging it is a delicate procedure.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Examining and cleaning the large vertebrae comprising the forward portion of the spinal column of an exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Scientists, students and volunteers engaged in cleaning the bones of an 18-meter long female fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) that was found floating in Tokyo harbor in early 2012 and buried for about 16 months to facilitate decomposition. Even with the passage of so much time, there was still significant soft tissue and a power odor. The lower jaw bones are pictured here, with the bulldozer in the background that was used to exhume the whale carcass.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Lifting the heavy skull of an exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) without damaging it is a delicate procedure.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Proper preparations for lifting the upper skull of the whale from the excavation put were required to ensure integrity of the skull structure.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Examining and cleaning the large vertebrae comprising the central part of the spinal column of an exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Part of the vertebral structure of the exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Scientists, students and volunteers engaged in cleaning the bones of an 18-meter long female fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) that was found floating in Tokyo harbor in early 2012 and buried for about 16 months to facilitate decomposition. Even with the passage of so much time, there was still significant soft tissue and a power odor. Vertebrae of the middle part of the whale are pictured here.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Lifting the heavy skull of an exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) without damaging it is a delicate procedure.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Spinal disc and fragments from the exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus). Part of the task was to re-assemble the fragement, much like working on a complex jigsaw puzzle.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Scientists, students and volunteers engaged in cleaning the bones of an 18-meter long female fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) that was found floating in Tokyo harbor in early 2012 and buried for about 16 months to facilitate decomposition. Even with the passage of so much time, there was still significant soft tissue and a power odor. The whale's vertebrae are visible here.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Scientists, students and volunteers engaged in cleaning the bones of an 18-meter long female fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) that was found floating in Tokyo harbor in early 2012 and buried for about 16 months to facilitate decomposition. Even with the passage of so much time, there was still significant soft tissue and a power odor. The lower jaw bones are pictured here.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Lifting the long and heavy jaw bone of an exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) without damaging it is a delicate procedure.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Lifting the heavy skull of an exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) without damaging it is a delicate procedure.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Lifting the heavy skull of an exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) without damaging it is a delicate procedure.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Student engaged in laborious and smelly task of cleaning rib bones of an 18-meter female fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) that was found in Tokyo Bay in early 2012 and buried for about 16 months to facilitate decomposition.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Scientists, students and volunteers engaged in cleaning the bones of an 18-meter long female fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) that was found floating in Tokyo harbor in early 2012 and buried for about 16 months to facilitate decomposition. Even with the passage of so much time, there was still significant soft tissue and a power odor. Here, the vertebrae comprising the rear part of the whale are being cleaned.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Scientists, students and volunteers engaged in cleaning the bones of an 18-meter long female fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) that was found floating in Tokyo harbor in early 2012 and buried for about 16 months to facilitate decomposition. Even with the passage of so much time, there was still significant soft tissue and a power odor. Pictured here are the rear vertebrae.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Upper half of the skull of an 18-meter long female fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) that was found floating in Tokyo harbor in early 2012 and buried for about 16 months to facilitate decomposition. Even with the passage of so much time, there was still significant soft tissue and a power odor.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Upper half of the skull of an 18-meter long female fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) that was found floating in Tokyo harbor in early 2012 and buried for about 16 months to facilitate decomposition. Even with the passage of so much time, there was still significant soft tissue and a power odor.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Piecing together fragments of the spinal discs of an exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) is time-consuming and tedious, requiring lots of concentration.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Intricate pattern formed by the vertebrae comprising the neck area of the exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Large vertebrae of the middle portion of the exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Scientists, students and volunteers engaged in cleaning the bones of an 18-meter long female fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) that was found floating in Tokyo harbor in early 2012 and buried for about 16 months to facilitate decomposition. Even with the passage of so much time, there was still significant soft tissue and a power odor. The whale's shoulder blades and some of its ribs are visible here.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Lifting the heavy skull of an exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) without damaging it is a delicate procedure.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Scientists, students and volunteers engaged in cleaning the bones of an 18-meter long female fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) that was found floating in Tokyo harbor in early 2012 and buried for about 16 months to facilitate decomposition. Even with the passage of so much time, there was still significant soft tissue and a power odor. The lower jaw bones are pictured here.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Lifting the heavy skull of an exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) without damaging it is a delicate procedure.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • The bone structure comprising the pectoral fins of a fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) reflect the animal's link to terrestrial mammals.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Lower jaw bones of an exhumed 18-meter long fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) carcass.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Scientists, students and volunteers engaged in cleaning the bones of an 18-meter long female fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) that was found floating in Tokyo harbor in early 2012 and buried for about 16 months to facilitate decomposition. Even with the passage of so much time, there was still significant soft tissue and a power odor. Vertebrae of the middle part of the whale are pictured here.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • Lifting the heavy skull of an exhumed fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) without damaging it is a delicate procedure.
    fin-whale-balaenoptera-physalus-japa...jpg
  • A group of four bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) engaged in social activity in very shallow water. These whales are part of the endangered Sea of Okhotsk subpopulation, which best estimates place in the low hundreds.
    balaena-mysticetus-endangered-okhots...tif
  • This is the pectoral fin of a 12.8m female Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni brydei) that appeared to have been brought into port on the bow of a ship. Though the cause of death was not entirely clear, the ship was known to have traveled for four to five days from China to Thailand. The whale could have died from impact, as suggested by the broken pectoral fin shown here. The whale was covered with bite marks from cookie cutter sharks, indicating that it was probably not one of the Gulf of Thailand’s resident Eden’s whales.
    broken-pectoral-fin-dead-brydes-whal...tif
  • Pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) diving into the blue, with pelagic fish (likely yellowfin tuna or similar open ocean predatory species) visible in the background
    pygmy-blue-whale-balaenoptera-muscul...tif
  • Female humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) nursing from her mother, with escort partially visible in the background. The calf, her mother, and the escort were all quite white. I nicknamed the calf Snow White.
    humpback-whale-female-calf-nursing-t...tif
  • Humpback whale calf (Megaptera noavaeangliae) nursing in dark water with low visibility. Humpback whale females with calves seem to have an affinity for resting in areas of low visibility around the islands of the Vava'u island group in the Kingdom of Tonga.
    humpback-whale-calf-nursing-megapter...tif
  • This is an adult pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) entangled in a fishing net. The net was wrapped around the base of the whale's fluke, with substantial net and rope trailing behind. As is visible in this image, rope stretched up both sides of the whale and appeared to be caught in the whale's mouth. I came across this whale in shallow, green, murky water, approximately 60 meters depth. The whale was still able to swim, though it appeared exhausted. It did not fluke, and the netting was not visible from the surface. Sadly, this whale most likely died shortly after this encounter.
    blue-whale-entangled-fishing-net-bal...tif
  • Researchers assessing humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) that washed ashore on 3 January 2012 in Odawara, Japan. Measured 6.87 meters long and was male. Cause of death unknown. This humpback whale calf is the third smallest one recorded to date that has stranded or washed ashore in Japan. It is the third deceased calf to have been found in the 2011-2012 breeding and calving season. Members of the science community recording measurements for Japan's cetacean stranding database.
    dead-humpback-whale-calf-beached-in-...jpg
  • This is Poto, a little female humpback whale calf, resting under her mother's chin. The tender, loving bond between humpback whale mothers and their babies is unmistakeable. Poto was the 19th calf I identified during the 2010 humpback whale season in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    humpback-whale-calf-resting-under-mo...tif
  • This is a pair of southern hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) engaged in courtship. The individual above is the female. The male below is blowing a trail of bubbles, a gesture of dominance toward other males that were in the area showing interest in the female.
    humpback-whale-courtship-201808-3541.tif
  • This is a north Atlantic humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae novaeangliae) pursuing a large school of herring in the cold, dark water of Arctic winter. The humpback whale swallowed several mouthfuls of fish during this foraging period.
    humpback-whale-pursuing-herring-norw...tif
  • This is a rear view of a male humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) engaged in a dominance display by blowing a stream of air bubbles. Visible in the top left background is a female humpback whale. This female was associated with the male blowing bubbles. The pair were approached by several other males, which precipitated the bubble blowing seen here. A portion of one of the other whales is visible in the bottom right corner. Displays like this are a common behavior among male humpback whales accompanying females during the breeding season.
    humpback-whale-male-bubbles-dominanc...tif
  • This pair of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticeus) from the endangered Okhotsk Sea subpopulation clearly exhibit signs of epidermal molting. Bowhead whales engage in exfoliation during the northern hemisphere summer by rubbing against rocks in shallow water. Possible reasons why the whales do this include shedding of ectoparasites such as whale lice (cyamids) and diatoms, as well as the replacement of skin damaged by sun exposure. Relatively warm temperatures in shallow water during the summer months may also be conducive to stimulating epidermal growth by promoting greater cutaneous bloodflow and delivery of nutrients and hormones to facilitate replacement of skin.
    balaena-mysticetus-endangered-okhots...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
  • This is a view of the blowholes of a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) from the rear.. There are several wounds visible, the most prominent of which is on the nostril ridge of the whale’s left side, with several other injured areas visible on the dorsal surface of the right side. These circular areas of exposed flesh are the scars left by cookiecutter sharks (Isistius brasiliensis), which swim up from deep water at night to take bites from larger animals.
    humpback-whale-cookiecutter-shark-bi...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 is a young Eden’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni edeni) in the Gulf of Thailand side-lunging through a mass of fish, likely Sardinella sp., that this whale and its mother had aggregated by swimming in a large circle. This circle and side-lunge technique has become the dominant foraging technique since 2017, replacing the open-mouth trap feeding strategy that had been prevalent since the 1990s. I believe this reflects a change of target prey. The whales adapt their foraging strategies to target species.
    balaenoptera-edeni-side-lunge-feedin...tif
  • This is a Balaenoptera edeni whale in the Gulf of Thailand foraging for fish by side-lunging. Side-lunging started to become prevalent in 2017 and seems to have continued through 2018. The previous feeding behaviour of remaining stationary at the surface with open mouths has not been seen since 2016. As pictured here, terns of several species frequently gather to take advantage of the fish that foraging whales bring to the surface. This population is limited in size, several dozen individuals. It is quite likely that there is no mixing between this population and other B. edeni whales outside the Gulf of Thailand.
    edens-whale-foraging-gulf-thailand-w...tif
  • A humpback whale raising its fluke to dive. This whale was part of a group engaged in bubble-net feeding.
    humpback-whale-fluke-alaska-201807-0...tif
  • Common terns (Sterna hirundo) flying alongside Eden’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni edeni) in the Gulf of Thailand/ The terns follow whales in order to catch fish that the whales bring to the ocean surface.
    sterna-hirundo-following-balaenopter...tif
  • Eden’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni edeni) known as Som Tam exhibiting the skin disease that afflicts this population of whales in the Gulf of Thailand
    balaenoptera-edeni-skin-disease-thai...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 10 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 6 of 17.
    humpback-whale-forward-breaching-seq...tif
  • Indian Ocean blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus indica) swimming into the blue. From this angle the substantial width of the fluke is apparent, and some of the whale’s musculature that powers the fluke is also visible.
    blue-whale-balaenoptera-musculus-ind...tif
  • A lone Eden’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni edeni) holding its mouth open to feed on anchovies in the Gulf of Thailand, with birds swooping in to grab fish jumping out of the water.
    lone-eden-whale-mouth-open-feeding-2...tif
  • This is a male Eden’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni edeni) known as Mesa, demonstrating the Drawbridge technique for feeding on anchovies. The whale raises his head above water to approximately eye level, then drops his lower jaw rapidly as if lowering a drawbridge. He then maintains a stationary, mouth-open position for an extended period of time, sometimes up to 30 seconds, during which time anchovies jump into his mouth. When he collects sufficient fish, he closes his mouth and reenters the water. Mesa is part of an isolated population of Eden’s whales, which are a neritic member of the Bryde’s whale complex, that live in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Thailand. It is likely that there are 50 or less in the population. Photo 2 in sequence of 7 photos illustrating beginning of Drawbridge technique.
    eden-whale-male-mesa-drawbridge-feed...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) executing a tail slap during a sunny day in Alaska. This whale was part of a group engaged in bubble net feeding.
    humpback-whale-tail-slap-alaska-2012...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
  • Two adult southern hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) tail slapping together. This pair was traveling north together in the winter. The one on the left is female; the one on the right male.
    southern-humpback-whale-megaptera-no...tif
  • Playful gray whale calf (Eschrichtius robustus) interacting with tourist boat in Magdalena Bay, Baja, Mexico. The calf repeatedly opened its mouth while soliciting attention from boat passengers.
    gray-whale-calf-friendly-baja-mexico...tif
  • Inquisitive gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) calf at the ocean surface, with its mother visible behind. Photographed in Magdalena Bay in Baja California, Mexico.
    gray-whale-calf-and mother-baja-mexi...tif
  • Whale lice are amphipods that scavenge for food on whales’ bodies, including consuming skin and flesh of whales. This species (Cyamus scammoni) lives exclusively on gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus). There is sexual dimorphism among adult Cyamus scammoni, with males being larger than females. Unlike the young of most other marine crustaceans, which have a planktonic larval stage, juvenile whale lice mature in a pouch-like structure called the marsupium, which is located on the underside of females. There is a small whale louse visible on the right side of this large amphipod’s head, hidden between the head and the forward right appendage. Photographed in Baja California, Mexico.
    cyamus-scammoni-whale-lice-gray-whal...tif
  • 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.
    humpback-whale-milk-from-calf-201509...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
  • Male humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) spyhopping and twirling around with his pectoral fin.
    humpback-whale-spyhop-pectoral-fin-t...tif
  • Male humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) with white pectoral fins blowing a dramatic trail of bubbles during a frenetic competitive group heat run. This male was one of the two lead escorts in pursuit of the female that was the center of attention of this heat run. The abundance of scratches and scars on this male’s body bears testimony to his vigor and aggression.
    humpback-whale-white-pectoral-fins-b...tif
  • 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
  • Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) taking a breath at the ocean surface. Photographed in Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    humpback-whale-taking-breath-ocean-s...tif
  • Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni brydei) with multiple wounds from cookiecutter shark bites (Isistius brasiliensis). Photographed in the Ogasawara (Bonin Islands), Japan.
    brydes-whale-cookiecutter-shark-bite...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
  • Fluke of an adult female humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) which had the habit of resting upside-down, with the ventral surface of her fluke to the sky. She was the mother of an extremely active, inquisitive female calf. Photographed in Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    fluke-humpback-whale-upside-down-oce...tif
  • This is the first verified sighting of a living humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Sri Lanka. This 8-9m juvenile male was alone, swimming from west to east just south of Mirissa. It was inquisitive and interactive, approaching the boat and taking time to play before heading past Dondra Head, then eastward along the coast. A comparison of this whale’s fluke with those of the resident population of humpbacks around Oman did not result in a match. Where this humpback came from and where it was going are a mystery.
    first-verified-humpback-whale-sighti...tif
  • Male humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) resting under the chin of its mother. This female and her calf were inquisitive, friendly and relaxed. Note the white stripe pattern on the adult female's flank, which makes her easy to identify.
    female-humpback-whale-with-calf-vava...tif
  • Gray whale calf (Eschrichtius robustus) with its eyes closed, enjoying the experience of making contact with a person reaching out from a whale watch boat. Photographed in Baja California, Mexico.
    gray-whale-calf-and-tourist-interact...tif
  • Gray whale calf (Eschrichtius robustus) swimming alongside a whale watch boat, lifting its rostrum above the ocean surface to interact with tourists in the boat. The calf's baleen is clearly visible. The calf's mom is visible underneath. Photographed in Baja California, Mexico.
    gray-whale-calf-raising-head-above-w...tif
  • An adult humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) splashing lots of water with its fluke and posterior. Note the redness on the ventral area of the whale. Photographed in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    humpback-whale-splashing-water-tonga...tif
  • Close-up of a few of the humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) comprising a group of whales engaged in cooperative bubble-net feeding. Photographed in Chatham Strait, near Juneau, Alaska,
    humpback-whales-bubble-net-feeding-c...tif
  • Male humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching. Photographed in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    breaching-humpback-whale-calf-tonga-...tif
  • A humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) entangled by longline fishing gear. This whale was still able to swim, but was very weak. The fishing line had immobilized both pectoral fins, slicing through them as is visible here. The whale was infested with whale lice (Cyamus boopis), and there were a number of large sharks trailing it, including tiger sharks and bronze whalers. Another healthy whale was accompanying this whale, though it was clearly unable to assist. This whale most likely died soon after this sighting.
    longline-fishing-gear-entanglement-h...tif
  • A juvenile humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) playing by raising and slapping its pectoral fin, with snow-capped mountains visible in the background. Photographed in Chatham Strait, Alaska
    juvenile-humpback-whale-megaptera-no...tif
  • Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni) in blue water, photographed in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
    brydes-whale-balaenoptera-edeni-sri-...tif
  • Feces from an injured humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) encountered during the winter season in the waters around Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga. The humpback whale was entangled in a series of longlines and hooks and most likely died. Bycatch is a serious problem associated with longline fishing. Even whales occasionally fall victim to this indiscriminate fishing practice.
    humpback-whale-feces-defecation-tong...tif
  • A group of humpback whales engaged in social foraging by herding herring and other fish with bubble nets. The lead whale bursts straight out of the water, while the other whales lunge alongside with their mouths wide open.
    humpback-whales-social-foraging-chat...tif
  • This is a Bryde's whale that was feeding in the same area as a number of blue whales. The taxonomic status of Bryde's whales is complex. There are several genetically distinct species and/ or subspecies in the scientific literature, including Balaenoptera brydei, Balaenoptera edeni, and Balaenoptera omurai.
    brydes-whale-balaenoptera-edeni-sri-...tif
  • Fluke of a blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) diving to forage for krill in deep water. Note the distinctive crease on the whale's dorsal surface, just behind the dorsal fin. This, plus several white spots on this whale's body (including the two white spots visible on the right fluke), made this individual easy to recognize. Photograph taken under permit.
    blue-whale-fluke-Balaenoptera-muscul...tif
  • Researchers measuring humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) that washed ashore on 3 January 2012 in Odawara, Japan. Measured 6.87 meters long and was male. Cause of death unknown. This humpback whale calf is the third smallest one recorded to date that has stranded or washed ashore in Japan. It is the third deceased calf to have been found in the 2011-2012 breeding and calving season. Members of the science community recording measurements for Japan's cetacean stranding database.
    dead-humpback-whale-calf-beached-in-...jpg
  • Humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) that washed ashore on 3 January 2012 in Odawara, Japan. Measured 6.87 meters long and was male. Cause of death unknown. This humpback whale calf is the third smallest one recorded to date that has stranded or washed ashore in Japan. It is the third deceased calf to have been found in the 2011-2012 breeding and calving season.
    dead-humpback-whale-calf-beached-in-...jpg
  • Humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) that washed ashore on 3 January 2012 in Odawara, Japan. Measured 6.87 meters long and was male. Cause of death unknown. This humpback whale calf is the third smallest one recorded to date that has stranded or washed ashore in Japan. It is the third deceased calf to have been found in the 2011-2012 breeding and calving season.
    dead-humpback-whale-calf-beached-in-...jpg
  • Humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) that washed ashore on 3 January 2012 in Odawara, Japan. Measured 6.87 meters long and was male. Cause of death unknown. This humpback whale calf is the third smallest one recorded to date that has stranded or washed ashore in Japan. It is the third deceased calf to have been found in the 2011-2012 breeding and calving season.
    baleen-of-dead-humpback-whale-calf-b...jpg
  • Humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) that washed ashore on 3 January 2012 in Odawara, Japan. Measured 6.87 meters long and was male. Cause of death unknown. This humpback whale calf is the third smallest one recorded to date that has stranded or washed ashore in Japan. It is the third deceased calf to have been found in the 2011-2012 breeding and calving season.
    baleen-of-dead-humpback-whale-calf-b...jpg
  • Humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) that washed ashore on 3 January 2012 in Odawara, Japan. Measured 6.87 meters long and was male. Cause of death unknown. This humpback whale calf is the third smallest one recorded to date that has stranded or washed ashore in Japan. It is the third deceased calf to have been found in the 2011-2012 breeding and calving season.
    penis-of-dead-humpback-whale-calf-be...jpg
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching in front of Hunga island in Vava'u, Tonga
    humpback-whale-breaching-megaptera-n...tif
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Tony Wu Underwater Photography

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