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  • This is a dead blue whale, probably killed by a ship strike from a large commercial ship, much like the one visible in the background. Major shipping lanes pass directly through the feeding grounds of blue whales and other cetaceans in southern Sri Lanka, increasing the chances for fatal ship strikes like this. This whale was male, with the cause of death being a wound to the animal's caudal area. Photo taken under permit.
    dead-blue-whale-container-ship-india...tif
  • Large vessels like this one travel on a constant basis in the shipping lanes just south of Sri Lanka. The ships travel at high speed, as is apparent from the bow wake in this image. The shipping lanes pass through the middle of feeding grounds for blue whales and other cetaceans, making the risk of ship strikes in this region high.
    large-ship-bow-wake-indian-ocean-sri...tif
  • Large vessels like this one travel on a constant basis in the shipping lanes just south of Sri Lanka. The shipping lanes pass through the middle of feeding grounds for blue whales and other cetaceans. The risk of ship strikes in this region is high.
    large-commercial-ship-indian-ocean-s...tif
  • Fluke of a southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) marked by injuries that appear to be the result of a propellor strike from a boat traveling at high speed. Photographed with the permission of the Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa.
    southern-right-whale-fluke-propellor...tif
  • This is one of several mature humpback whales engaged in bubble net feeding. The injury marks on its left dorsal surface look like they may be the result of a run-in with the propellor of a boat, perhaps a small vessel. I photographed this same whale in 2016 (see humpback-whale-ship-propellor-injury-alaska-201607-0621.tif) , also participating in a bubble-net feeding group at the time. In 2016, the group with this whale was working the coast between Point Retreat and Funter Bay. In 2018, this whale was with a group feeding in the nearby Icy Strait area, primarily around Pleasant Island and Gustavus.
    humpback-whale-ship-propellor-injury...tif
  • The shipping lanes south of Sri Lanka are among the busiest in the world. Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) and other cetaceans often congregate in these shipping lanes to feed on krill below. The potential for lethal ship strikes is clear.
    blue-whale-shipping-lane-sri-lanka-b...tif
  • Some of the prime feeding areas for blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) in waters of Sri Lanka coincide with commercial shipping lanes that pass to the south of the country, which are among the most heavily trafficked in the world. This overlap of cetacean foraging territory and commercial shipping traffic creates the potential for lethal ship strikes.
    blue-whale-shipping-lane-sri-lanka-b...tif
  • This is one of several mature humpback whales engaged in bubble net feeding. The injury marks on its left dorsal surface look like they may be the result of a run-in with the propellor of a boat, perhaps a small vessel.
    humpback-whale-ship-propellor-injury...tif
  • This is a male blue whale killed by a ship strike, floating at the ocean surface, in the Indian Ocean south of Sri Lanka. There is a high volume of container ship and other large vessel traffic in this area, with the ships traveling directly through the feeding grounds of blue whales and other cetaceans. Ship strikes are perhaps a regular occurence. Photo taken under permit.
    dead-blue-whale-killed-ship-strike-B...tif
  • Rear view of a blue whale killed by a ship strike in the Indian Ocean, south of Sri Lanka. This region is a feeding area for blue whales and other cetaceans. It is also a major shipping lane, with large container vessels and other big ships traveling through the feeding grounds on a constant basis. The large wound in the whale's caudal region may have been caused by a head-on collision by one of these ships. Photo taken under permit.
    blue-whale-killed-by-ship-strike-sri...tif
  • This male blue whale was most likely killed by a ship strike. There is a large wound in the animal's caudal area, suggesting a direct bow strike by a large vessel. There is a high level of shipping traffic south of Sri Lanka, where container vessels and other large ships travel through shipping lanes on a continuous basis. These shipping lanes are situated in the middle of feeding grounds for blue whales and other cetaceans, putting these animals at high risk of ship strikes. Photo taken under permit.
    dead-blue-whale-floating-ocean-surfa...tif
  • Dead blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) floating at the ocean surface. This whale was most likely killed by a ship strike that took place in the shipping lanes just south of Sri Lanka. Container ships and other large boats use these shipping lanes day-in and day-out. The shipping lanes are situated in the middle of feeding grounds for blue whales and other cetaceans, which dive down to deep water to forage for krill and other food. Photo taken under permit.
    dead-blue-whale-Balaenoptera-musculu...tif
  • Frontal view of a dead blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) in Sri Lanka. Major shipping lanes for container vessels and other large ships pass directly through blue whale feeding grounds. As a result, ship strikes may happen on a regular basis. This whale died from a large wound that cut away a major portion of its caudal region. Photo taken under permit.
    ship-strike-dead-blue-whale-sri-lank...tif
  • This is the carcass of a 12.8m female Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni brydei) that was brought into port on the bow of the ship pictured here. 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. There were signs of blunt trauma, including the broken pectoral fin, which can be seen 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.
    dead-brydes-whale-thailand-201611-00...tif
  • This is the carcass of a 12.8m female Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni brydei) that was brought into port on the bow of the ship pictured here. 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. There were signs of blunt trauma, including the broken pectoral fin, which can be seen 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.
    dead-brydes-whale-thailand-201611-00...tif
  • This is the carcass of a 12.8m female Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni brydei) that was brought into port on the bow of the ship pictured here. 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. There were signs of blunt trauma, including the broken pectoral fin, which can be seen 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.
    dead-brydes-whale-thailand-201611-00...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
  • This is the pectoral fin of a dead blue whale, found floating in the Indian Ocean south of Sri Lanka. Blue whales have relatively short pectoral fins in relation to their body size. This whale was probably killed by a ship strike in the busy shipping lanes that run directly through blue whale feeding grounds. Photo taken under permit.
    pectoral-fin-blue-whale-Balaenoptera...tif
  • Close-up view of the throat grooves on a dead blue whale, found in the Indian Ocean of Sri Lanka. The whale was most likely the victim of a ship strike by a large container vessel. The main shipping channel south of Sri Lanka passes directly through feeding grounds of blue whales and other cetaceans, which gather in the area to feed on aggregations of krill in deep water. Photo taken under permit.
    throat-grooves-blue-whale-Balaenopte...tif
  • This is the genital slit of a dead blue whale, found floating south of Mirissa in Sri Lanka. The tip of the whale's penis appears to be protruding from the animal. The whale was most likely struck by one of the many container ships in the busy shipping lanes that coincide with the feeding grounds of blue whales and other cetaceans in the area. Other photos of this whale show a deep scar in the whale's caudal area, suggestive of a direct bow strike by a large commercial ship. Photograph taken under permit.
    dead-blue-whale-genital-slit-penis-B...tif
  • Pectoral fin of a dead blue whale, with a remora attached. This whale was most likely hit and killed by a large commercial vessel, which left a gaping wound in the cetacean's caudal area. Ship strikes may happen frequently in this area, just south of Mirissa in southern Sri Lanka. The shipping lanes here are very busy, with ships traveling at high speed through the feeding grounds of blue whales and other cetaceans.
    dead-blue-whale-pectoral-fin-Balaeno...tif
  • A humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae kuzira) that had an unusual dorsal fin, one that was split into three sections. It was not possible to determine whether this split dorsal was present from birth, or whether it was the result of an accident such as a propellor strike. I photographed this same whale in 2016 at Point Adolphus. (see unusual-dorsal-fin-humpback-whale-alaska-201607-2096.tif). In 2018, this whale was in a bubble-feeding group active in the Icy Strait, around Pleasant Island and Gustavus. This was one of two whales in the 2018 group that I recognized from 2016.
    unusual-dorsal-fin-humpback-whale-al...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
  • Researchers preparing to retrieve the carcass of a 12.8m female Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni brydei) that appeared to have been brought into port on the bow of the ship pictured here. 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. There were signs of blunt trauma, including the broken pectoral fin, which can be seen 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.
    dead-brydes-whale-thailand-201611-00...tif
  • Skeleton of female sperm whale, dubbed Jubilee, on display at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum in Singapore. This 10.6m adult whale was found off Jurong Island in July 2015, with a wound in the caudal area that may have been caused by a ship propellor. During the necropsy, plastics were also found in her gastrointestinal system.
    lkcnhm-sperm-whale-201604.tif
  • Plastic garbage found in the gastrointestinal system of 10.6m female sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) found off Jurong Island, Singapore in July 2015. This whale also had injuries in the caudal area that may have been caused by a ship propellor. This plastic and the skeleton of the sperm whale is on display at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum in Singapore.
    plastic-trash-sperm-whale-singapore-...tif
  • Large wound in the caudal region of a dead blue whale found in southern Sri Lanka. The whale was male. The wound was most likely the result of a direct collision from the bow of a large commercial vessel traveling in the major shipping lanes just south of Sri Lanka. These shipping lanes run directly through the feeding grounds of blue whales and other cetaceans. Photo taken under permit.
    dead-blue-whale-collision-container-...tif
  • Close-up view of the blowholes of a deceased blue whale. The whale was most likely struck and killed by a large commercial vessel. Major shipping lanes pass through the middle of blue whale feeding grounds to the south of Sri Lanka. Photo taken under permit.
    blowholes-blue-whale-sri-lanka-Balae...tif
  • Head-on view of a dead blue whale, floating in the Indian Ocean south of Sri Lanka. The cause of death was most likely a ship strike, with a large vessel colliding with the caudal region of the whale. The carcass was relatively fresh, as there was no significant bloating and minimal decomposition. Photo taken under permit.
    ship-strike-dead-blue-whale-Balaenop...tif
  • The carcass of this 12.8m female Bryde’s whale was covered with bites from cookie cutter sharks, indicating that the whale spent substantial time in areas with deep water, where cookie cutter sharks reside.
    dead-brydes-whale-cookie-cutter-shar...tif
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