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  • 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
  • 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
  • This is the first verified record of a living humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the waters of Sri Lanka. This juvenile male was eight to nine meters in length and alone, sighted south of Mirissa. The whale traveled past Dondra Head and headed east along the coast. A comparison of the fluke with records the non-migratory humpback population in Oman did not result in a match. There is no obvious place where this humpback whale could have come from or have been going to.
    first-record-humpback-whale-sri-lank...tif
  • Fisherman throwing a net to catch small fish in a lake in Sri Lanka
    fisherman-casting-net-in-lake-sri-la...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
  • 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
  • Small krill species that was schooling in large aggregations in relatively shallow water off the southern coast of Sri Lanka. Blue whales and Bryde’s whales frequent these waters and feed in the area. I do not know whether they consume this particular species.
    small-krill-species-sri-lanka-201502...tif
  • Boat named Princess of Whales, in Mirissa harbor, Sri Lanka
    clever-whale-watching-vessel-name-mi...tif
  • Manta rays for sale at the morning fish market in Mirissa, Sri Lanka. Many mantas and mobula rays are landed each day at this small port, primarily to supply the growing gill raker trade, which is targeting rays around the world to supply powders and potions to consumers in Asia who believe that gill rakers have medicinal powers.
    manta-rays-fish-market-mirissa-sri-l...tif
  • Fisherman cutting out the gill rakers from a mobula ray (Mobula mobular), photographed at the morning fish market in Mirissa, Sri Lanka. Demand by Asian consumers for gill rakers from manta rays and mobula rays in increasing rapidly, due to the mistaken belief that gill rakers have medicinal properties.
    fisherman-extracting-mobula-ray-gill...tif
  • Large adult pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) diving into the blue, perhaps to forage for food. Photographed in Sri Lanka.
    pygmy-blue-whale-balaenoptera-muscul...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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Sunset with fishing boat silhouettes in Mirissa harbor, Sri Lanka
    sri-lanka-mirissa-harbor-fishing-boa...tif
  • Fishermen in southern Sri Lanka netting small fish, with one leaping off the bow of the boat
    coastal-fishermen-sri-lanka-mirissa-...tif
  • Pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) commencing its descent to forage for krill in the Indian Ocean, south of Sri Lanka.
    blue-whale-balaenoptera-musculus-bre...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
  • 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
  • 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
  • A blue whale diving down to feed on krill in the Indian Ocean, south of Sri Lanka. This whale was relatively inquisitive, proactively approaching on several occasions, and swimming along underneath our boat in one instance. This whale is easily recognizable by the white patch on the left side of its head. It also has a white area on the right side of its nose, two white spots on the right side of its fluke, and a large, visible indentation on the dorsal surface of its caudal region. Photograph taken under permit.
    blue-whale-diving-Balaenoptera-muscu...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 a Bryde's whale that was feeding in the same area as a number of blue whales in southern Sri Lanka. 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-brydei-ede...tif
  • Two adult sperm whales, part of a larger family unit that I came across in the waters south of Sri Lanka
    two-sperm-whales-in-blue-water_20110...tif
  • Sri Lankan subspecies of Hoopoe bird (Upupa epops ceylonensis) digging in the dirt looking for insects to eat.
    hoopoe-bird-digging-for-food-201502-...tif
  • A group of twenty three sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) traveling together. These whales (all females and immature individuals) were part of a much larger aggregation or superpod that I estimated to comprise around 100 individuals. The reason for such a large gathering is unclear, though it may have something to do with reproduction. Some time after this encounter, I came across another large group in the same area, which included a mature bull. Mature male sperm whales spend most of their time in colder waters, visiting tropical and temperate waters for the purpose of mating. The cloud of dark substance in the foreground is defecation from one of the whales, something which sperm whales seem to do often when they are at the surface.
    superpod-sperm-whales-sri-lanka-miri...tif
  • Adult female sperm whale executing a playful flick of her fluke just before diving down to deep water, perhaps to forage for food. This whale was part of a larger group of 15 to 20 whales that were traveling together across a wide range, spening a lot of time at the surface between dives.
    female-sperm-whale-indian-ocean-sri-...tif
  • A krill specimen that was spit out by a blue whale I was with. As depicted here, the krill was about the size of my little finger. The blue whale had just come up from deeper water, where it was likely feeding.
    krill-from-blue-whale-sri-lanka-2015...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
  • This is an adult pygmy blue whale entangled in a fishing net. The net was wrapped around the base of the whale's fluke, with substantial net and rope trailing behind. 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.
    entangled-pygmy-blue-whale-fishing-n...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
  • Discarded plastic toy ball floating in the middle of the ocean. Even innocent toys can become plastic waste that poisons the oceans.
    garbage-sri-lanka-201303-0472.tif
  • Mature Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni) diving down to forage for food. This whale had an injury to the left lobe of its fluke, perhaps resulting from an attack when it was younger. The whale also had a prominent notch in the trailing edge of its dorsal fin, and an injury on its dorsal surface on the left side of its dorsal fin. These markings make it easy to identify this whale.
    brydes-whale-injured-fluke-balaenopt...tif
  • This is a juvenile green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) that appears to have died due to a fishing line. The line was wrapped around the marine reptile's neck several times, with a fishing hook lodged in some of the animal's flesh. Most of the flesh on the turtle's head had either been consumed by other animals or had otherwise fallen off, leaving just the skull. The rest of the body was largely intact. I am holding the blue fishing line filament in my left hand.
    green-turtle-killed-by-fishing-line-...tif
  • Changeable lizard (Calotes versicolor) perched on a rock. This lizard is an insectivore, measuring about 10cm when mature. They have been known to eat small rodents and other lizards as well. This species is widely distributed, found throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
    changeable-lizard-calotes-versicolor...tif
  • Sperm whale skin is thin and almost transparent, as is apparent from the large piece of skin I'm holding in my hand. Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) shed and slough off skin continuously, perhaps as a mechanism for maintaining healthy skin and shedding parasites. This large piece of skin came off an adult female sperm whale, part of a family group of nine individuals.
    sperm-whale-skin-physeter-macrocepha...tif
  • Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) shed and slough off skin continuously, perhaps as a mechanism for maintaining healthy skin and shedding parasites. This is a large piece of skin that came off an adult female sperm whale, part of a family group of nine individuals. Sperm whale skin is very thin and almost transparent.
    sperm-whale-skin-physeter-macrocepha...tif
  • A view of the underside of an adult female sperm whale's fluke as it swims past. This whale and the others visible in the background were part of a superpod of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) comprising up to 100 individuals.
    sperm-whale-fluke-underside-physeter...tif
  • Dorsal fin of a large Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni) exhibiting the characteristic hooked shape of this species. This particular whale has a small notch on the trailing edge of its dorsal fin, making it easy to recognize. Note also the injury on the dorsal surface. The whale was also missing the left tip of its fluke, perhaps from an attack earlier in its life.
    brydes-whale-balaenoptera-edeni-trin...tif
  • Pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) swimming at high speed, its fluke slicing through the water as the whale executed a rapid turn before diving into the deep.
    pygmy-blue-whale-balaenoptera-muscul...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. 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-sri...tif
  • Very close pass with a pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) in murky water. Note the patches of white pigmentation on the right nostril and left dorsal area. These make this whale easy to recognize, even from above water.
    pygmy-blue-whale-balaenoptera-muscul...tif
  • Adult female sperm whale executing a playful flick of her fluke just before diving down to deep water, perhaps to forage for food. This whale was part of a larger group of 15 to 20 whales that were traveling together across a wide range, spening a lot of time at the surface between dives. The whale's powerful caudal area is clearly visible in this image, as are the unique markings on her abdominal region. These markings make it possible to identify individual whales.
    sperm-whale-physeter-macrocephalus-o...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 top of the right fluke), made this individual easy to recognize. Photograph taken under permit.
    blue-whale-fluke-sri-lanka-Balaenopt...tif
  • A small Chiroteuthidae squid dropped by a sperm whale. This family of squid are generally small to medium in size, soft and gelatinous, slow moving. This one looks too small to have been a targeted meal for a sperm whale.
    deepwater-Chiroteuthidae-squid-dropp...tif
  • A relatively large krill specimen that was spit out by a blue whale I was with. The whale had just come up from deeper water, where it was likely feeding.
    krill-from-blue-whale-sri-lanka-2015...tif
  • Head-on, close-up view of an adult female sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). This angle provides an excellent view of the sperm whale's disproportionately large forehead. The white coloration around the whale's mouth is a common trait.
    sperm-whale-head-physeter-macrocepha...tif
  • A group of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) with one defecating. These whales are all females, and were part of a large gathering, comprising up to perhaps 100 individuals divided among several groups distributed over a large area. Sperm whales seem to defecate often while they are at the surface.
    sperm-whales-defecating-sri-lanka-ph...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.
    balaenoptera-edeni-brydes-whale-sri-...tif
  • Friendly fisherman with teddy bear
    friendly-fisherman-with-teddy-bear-s...tif
  • A white-bellied sea eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) in flight off the coast of northeast Sri Lanka with a fish grasped in its talons
    white-bellied-sea-eagle-haliaeetus-l...tif
  • Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni) in blue water, photographed in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
    brydes-whale-balaenoptera-edeni-sri-...tif
  • My friend Daya holding a small squid arm that I recovered from a group of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) that had been foraging for food. The pieces of squid brought up by sperm whales in this area all seem to indicate relatively small prey.
    small-squid-arm-recovered-from-sperm...tif
  • A pair of Malabar Pied Hornbills engaged in an argument, with their beaks locked together and one bird flipping over the other
    malabar-pied-hornbill-anthracoceros-...tif
  • Juvenile manta ray swimming along the ocean surface
    juvenile-manta-ray-indian-ocean-2011...tif
  • Rear view of a juvenile manta ray swimming in blue water in along the ocean surface skimming for food, with both wings in the up position
    rear-view-juvenile-manta-ray-201104-...tif
  • An adult female sperm whale swimming upside down near the surface. The whale's mammary glands are clearly visible adjacent to the genital slit.
    female-sperm-whale-mammary-slits-vis...tif
  • A small Chiroteuthidae squid dropped by a sperm whale. This family of squid are generally small to medium in size, soft and gelatinous, slow moving. This one looks too small to have been a targeted meal for a sperm whale.
    whiplash-squid-dropped-by-sperm-whal...tif
  • Inquisitive adult female sperm whale in the Indian Ocean, swimming underneath me to check me out using sonar. Sperm whales seem to swim upside-down frequently when they use sonar to investigate objects above them. Perhaps this position gives them optimal results.
    sperm-whale-swimming-upside-down-in-...tif
  • Sperm whales seem to pass gas and defecate a lot when they are at the surface. This is something I have observed consistently across different sperm whale populations. This is the largest quantity of excrement that I've seen from a sperm whale.
    sperm-whale-poop_201104_0724.tif
  • Juvenile manta ray swimming along the ocean surface
    juvenile-manta-ray-ocean-surface-201...tif
  • Inquisitive adult female sperm whale in the Indian Ocean, swimming underneath me to check me out using sonar. Sperm whales seem to swim upside-down frequently when they use sonar to investigate objects above them. Perhaps this position gives them optimal results.
    sperm-whale-swimming-upside-down-in-...tif
  • Inquisitive adult female sperm whale in the Indian Ocean, swimming underneath me to check me out using sonar. Sperm whales seem to swim upside-down frequently when they use sonar to investigate objects above them. Perhaps this position gives them optimal results.
    sperm-whale-swimming-upside-down-in-...tif
  • Adult female sperm whale swimming upside-down in the blue waters of the Indian Ocean. This is a position frequently adopted by sperm whales near the surface to make use of their sonar to investigate floating objects like me. I may have been the first person she had ever come across. Notice that there is a small piece missing from the dorsal edge of her right pectoral fin.
    sperm-whale-blue-water-indian-ocean_...tif
  • Adult female sperm whale playing at the surface. After taking a few breaths, the whale dropped below the ocean surface, rolled around a bit, and used its sonar to check me out.
    adult-female-sperm-whale-playing_201...tif
  • Inquisitive adult female sperm whale in the Indian Ocean, swimming underneath me to check me out using sonar. Sperm whales seem to swim upside-down frequently when they use sonar to investigate objects above them. Perhaps this position gives them optimal results. Notice that the sperm whale has closed her eyes.
    sperm-whale-swimming-upside-down-in-...tif
  • Inquisitive adult female sperm whale in the Indian Ocean, swimming underneath me to check me out using sonar. Sperm whales seem to swim upside-down frequently when they use sonar to investigate objects above them. Perhaps this position gives them optimal results.
    sperm-whale-swimming-upside-down-in-...tif
  • Female sperm whale diving. This particular individual had many white patches (unique pattern of birthmarks) on her abdomen and a bit on her dorsal surface, making her easy to identify. She was quite shy, and dived quickly. Note the stream of bubbles trailing from her dorsal fin as she dives.
    sperm-whale-diving-trailing-bubbles_...tif
  • An adult female sperm whale coming up to the surface to breathe between dives to forage for food. I came across this whale and several other adult females in her family unit in the Indian Ocean.
    sperm-whale-reflection-ocean-surface...tif
  • Adult female sperm whale playing at the surface. After taking a few breaths, the whale dropped below the ocean surface, rolled around a bit, and used its sonar to check me out.
    sperm-whale-at-ocean-surface_201104_...tif
  • Juvenile manta ray swimming along the ocean surface skimming for food, with both wings in the down position
    manta-ray-juvenile-ocean-surface-201...tif
  • Juvenile manta ray swimming along the ocean surface skimming for food
    juvenile-manta-ray-rear-view-201104-...tif
  • Inquisitive adult female sperm whale in the Indian Ocean, swimming underneath me to check me out using sonar. Sperm whales seem to swim upside-down frequently when they use sonar to investigate objects above them. Perhaps this position gives them optimal results.
    sperm-whale-swimming-upside-down-in-...tif
  • Sperm whales seem to pass gas and defecate a lot when they are at the surface. This is something I have observed consistently across different sperm whale populations. This is the largest quantity of excrement that I've seen from a sperm whale.
    sperm-whale-defecation_201104_0719.tif
  • Rear view of a juvenile manta ray swimming in blue water along the ocean surface skimming for food, with both wings in the up position
    juvenile-manta-ray-blue-water-201104...tif
  • An adult female sperm whale coming up to the surface to breathe between dives to forage for food. I came across this whale and several other adult females in her family unit in the Indian Ocean.
    sperm-whale-reflection-ocean-surface...tif
  • Endangered Sri Lankan subspecies of the tufted gray langur (Semnopithecus priam thersites) having a contemplative moment
    semnopithecus-priam-thersites-endang...tif
  • A pair of blue whales swimming in blue water of the Indian Ocean. This may be the pygmy sub-species of blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda. They were engaged in social activity at the surface, and were relaxed when they swam past. I estimate that the whales were between 20 and 25 meters long.
    201104_Mirissa_Underwater_0377.tif
  • An adult female sperm whale swimming parallel to the surface while buzzing me with sonar
    female-sperm-whale-201104-0580.tif
  • Hoopoe bird (Upupa epops ceylonensis) that just caught a centipede.
    hoopoe-bird-eating-centipede-201502-...tif
  • This is a small social unit, or perhaps part of a social unit, of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus). There were three young whales in the group. Pictured here is one of the young whales, around seven to eight meters in length, taking an interest in me, with the other members of the social unit visible in the background.
    sperm-whale-social-unit-inquisitive-...tif
  • Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni edeni) commencing a dive. Note the muscularity powering the whale’s fluke, and the visibility of the rib structure. Classification of Bryde’s whales is difficult and uncertain due to insufficient study and information.
    balaenoptera-edeni-brydes-whale-2013...tif
  • This is an adult female sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) at the ocean surface, with other members of her social unit visible in the background.
    sperm-whale-physeter-macrocephalus-o...tif
  • Underwater view of a footprint left on the ocean surface by the fluke of a swimming adult female sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
    sperm-whale-footprint-underwater-vie...tif
  • Close-up view of defecation by an adult female sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). Defecation at the surface is routine behavior for sperm whales. Defecation is an indication that the whale has been feeding successfully.
    sperm-whale-defecation-close-up-2016...tif
  • Large cluster of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) that were part of an enormous superpod gathering comprising hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals. As is typical of sperm whale social activity, there was a lot of tactile contact accompanied by biosonar clicking, with sloughing of skin, defecation, passing of gas. The water was milky white and oily from the activity.
    sperm-whale-superpod-physeter-macroc...tif
  • Adult female sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) cruising at the ocean surface on a sunny day
    sperm-whale-adult-female-physeter-ma...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
  • Bryde’s whale defecating (Balaenoptera edeni) after coming up from feeding
    brydes-whale-defecating-201502-2100.tif
  • Fluke of a diving pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) with several remoras attached.
    blue-whale-fluke-with-remoras-201502...tif
  • A large aggregation of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) engaged in social activity. Note the abundance of sloughed off skin in the water, resulting from tactile contact among the whales. Peeling skin is apparent on the individuals in the center of this image. Note also the cloud of defecation. These whales had just emerged from milling around in a gigantic cluster, with many of the whales defecating to such an extent that the water was opaque. This photograph was the winner of the Behaviour: Mammals category of the 53rd Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition in 2017 (#WPY53) organized by the Natural History Museum in London.
    superpod-aggregation-sperm-whales-de...tif
  • Inquisitive sperm whale calf (Physeter macrocephalus) approaching with mouth open and buzzing me with bio-sonar. This calf was part of a family unit that had three juvenile whales in it. The family unit was one of many that gathered for a large social event comprising hundreds, perhaps thousands of sperm whales. This image is licensed on an exclusive basis to BBC through 29 October 2021.
    sperm-whale-family-unit-juvenile-mou...tif
  • Tiny female sperm whale calf (Physeter macrocephalus), which was allowed to play by itself. This calf's family was in the immediate vicinity socializing and foraging for food, but the calf was allowed to wander off and explore. It was inquisitive and approached several times. In this photo, the calf has placed its fluke gently on my head. We swam together like this, calf resting her fluke on my head. Of note, the calf was approximately two meters long, which is considerably smaller than the usually assumed birth size of four meters or more for sperm whale calves.
    fluke-underside-baby-sperm-whale-fem...tif
  • A dense group of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) that were part of a massive social gathering of hundreds of individuals. As shown here, sperm whales seem to defecate frequently when they are at the surface, especially during intense social activity. The whales' defecation and other bodily excretions imparted an oily consistency to the seawater, as can be seen here, backlit by the low light of the late-afternoon sun. Besides socializing in this manner, the large gathering of sperm whales were also foraging for food in between bouts of surface activity.
    sperm-whales-defecating-socializing-...tif
  • Whereas baleen whales have two exterior nostrils (called blowholes), sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) have a single blowhole on the left side of their heads. The other nostril has been modified into an internal organ called the phonic lip that produces the clicks and other sounds that these whales use for communication and echolocation.
    sperm-whale-blowhole-201703-1222.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
  • Fluke-on view of a group of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) socializing. The whales are clustered together head-first, with lots of bio-sonar clicking and rubbing together of their heads and bodies. Mass defecation is often a part of such social activity, with the defecation becoming thick enough to obscure the whales from view, as is the case here. Note the shedding of skin, which is also characteristic of sperm whale socialization.
    sperm-whales-socializing-mass-defeca...tif
  • This was a young, relatively friendly blue whale. Over the course of several hours, this whale approached the boat I was in seven times when it surfaced from feeding in deeper water. From this angle, the whale’s powerful, well-muscled caudal region is visible. The whale’s flexibility and sinuous S-curve swimming motion is also apparent.
    blue-whale-caudal-musculature-sinuou...tif
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Tony Wu Underwater Photography

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