Blue whale underwater closeup photo. This picture of a blue whale, the largest animal ever to inhabit earth, shows it swimming through the open ocean, a rare underwater view. Since this blue whale was approximately 80-90' long and just a few feet from the camera, an extremely wide lens was used to photograph the entire enormous whale.
North Pacific humpback whales, a mother and calf pair swim closely together just under the surface of the ocean. The calf will remain with its mother for about a year, migrating from Hawaii to Alaska to feed on herring.
Humpback whale breaching, near Molokai, Hawaii. Megaptera novaeangliae. It is suspected the breaching often has a communicative purpose which depends on the behavioral context of the moment.
Two blue whales, a mother and her calf, swim through the open ocean in this aerial photograph. The calf is blowing (spouting, exhaling) with a powerful column of spray. The blue whale is the largest animal ever to live on Earth.
Humpback whale in Antarctica. A humpback whale swims through the beautiful ice-filled waters of Neko Harbor, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica.
Atlantic spotted dolphin and Olympic champion swimmer Matt Biondi.
Hawaiian spinner dolphin, resting herd swimming along reef.
Mother and calf southern right whales underwater, swimming over sandy shallow bottom.
Enormous blue whale, exhaling as it surfaces from a dive, aerial photo. The blue whale is the largest animal ever to have lived on Earth, exceeding 100' in length and 200 tons in weight.
Fin whale underwater. The fin whale is the second longest and sixth most massive animal ever, reaching lengths of 88 feet.
Fin whale underwater. The fin whale is the second longest and sixth most massive animal ever, reaching lengths of 88 feet.
Portrait of a Southern Right Whale Underwater, Eubalaena australis. This particular right whale exhibits a beautiful mottled pattern on its sides.
White southern right whale calf underwater, Eubalaena australis. About five per cent of southern right whales are born white due to a condition known as grey morphism and will gradually turn dark as they age. They are not albino (which is a complete lack of pigmentation). Sometimes referred to as "brindled", the white coloration is a recessive genetic trait and only lasts a few months. Typically, but not always, white calves will become much darker as they mature but will still be somewhat lighter than normal even as adults.
Blue whales, adult and juvenile (likely mother and calf), swimming together side by side underwater in the open ocean.
Killer whale attacking sea lion. Biggs transient orca and California sea lion.
Blue whales feeding on krill underwater closeup photo. A picture of a blue whale with its throat pleats inflated with a mouthful of krill. A calf swims behind and below the adult. Over 80' long and just a few feet from the camera, an extremely wide lens was used to photograph the entire enormous whale.
Blue whale 80-feet long, full body photograph of an enormous blue whale showing rostrom head to fluke tail, taken at close range with very wide lens.
Mother and calf southern right whales underwater. The calf swims close to its mother but, if the mother is accepting, the calf will be allowed to come close to the photographer and check him out.
A huge blue whale swims through the open ocean in this underwater photograph. The blue whale is the largest animal ever to live on Earth.
Mother and calf southern right whales are seen here as part of a larger courtship group, with adult males interested in mating with the mother. The calf has no choice but to stay by her mother's side during the courting activities.
Mother and calf gray whale, aerial photo, embryonic folds visible on the very young calf.
Blue whale skeleton in Antarctica, on the shore at Port Lockroy, Antarctica. This skeleton is composed primarily of blue whale bones, but there are believed to be bones of other baleen whales included in the skeleton as well.
Humpback whale lunge feeding on Antarctic krill, with mouth open and baleen visible. The humbpack's throat grooves are seen as its pleated throat becomes fully distended as the whale fills its mouth with krill and water. The water will be pushed out, while the baleen strains and retains the small krill.
Southern right whale eyeballing the camera up close, Eubalaena australis. Whale lice can be seen clearly in the folds and crevices around the whales eye and lip groove.
Breaching southern right whale, Eubalaena australis, Patagonia.
Water falling from the fluke (tail) of a humpback whale as the whale dives to forage for food in the Santa Barbara Channel.
White southern right whale calf underwater, Eubalaena australis. About five per cent of southern right whales are born white due to a condition known as grey morphism and will gradually turn dark as they age. They are not albino (which is a complete lack of pigmentation). Sometimes referred to as "brindled", the white coloration is a recessive genetic trait and only lasts a few months. Typically, but not always, white calves will become much darker as they mature but will still be somewhat lighter than normal even as adults.
A huge blue whale swims through the open ocean in this aerial photograph. The blue whale is the largest animal ever to live on Earth.
Southern right whale raises its fluke tail out of the water prior to diving.
Aerial photo of gray whale calf and mother. This baby gray whale was born during the southern migration, far to the north of the Mexican lagoons of Baja California where most gray whale births take place.
A humpback whale raises it fluke out of the water, the coast of Del Mar and La Jolla is visible in the distance.
Pacific white sided dolphin carrying drift kelp.
A neonate gray whale calf, born just hours before, still exhbiting embryonic folds in the skin along its side. This baby gray whale was born in the cold waters of Big Sur, far to the north of the Mexican lagoons of Baja California where most gray whale births take place.
Humpback whale breaching, pectoral fin and rostrom visible.
Blue whale, exhaling in a huge blow as it swims at the surface between deep dives. The blue whale's blow is a combination of water spray from around its blowhole and condensation from its warm breath.
Blue whale, exhaling in a huge blow as it swims at the surface between deep dives. The blue whale's blow is a combination of water spray from around its blowhole and condensation from its warm breath.
Aerial photo of gray whale calf and mother. This baby gray whale was born during the southern migration, far to the north of the Mexican lagoons of Baja California where most gray whale births take place.
Gray whale blowing at the ocean surface, exhaling and breathing as it prepares to dive underwater.
Adult male killer whale, tall dorsal fin, Palos Verdes.
A humpback whale raises it fluke out of the water, the coast of Del Mar and La Jolla is visible in the distance.
Saddle patch and dorsal fins of killer whales, Palos Verdes.
Fin whale dorsal fin. The fin whale is named for its tall, falcate dorsal fin. Mariners often refer to them as finback whales. Coronado Islands, Mexico (northern Baja California, near San Diego).
Bottlenose dolphins swim through red tide, hunt a school of fish, lit by glowing bioluminescence caused by microscopic Lingulodinium polyedrum dinoflagellate organisms which glow blue when agitated at night.
Blue whale, the largest animal ever to inhabit earth, swims through the open ocean, underwater view.
A huge blue whale swims through the open ocean in this underwater photograph. The blue whale is the largest animal ever to live on Earth.
Killer Whale, Biggs Transient Orca, Palos Verdes.
Killer whale attacking sea lion. Biggs transient orca and California sea lion.
Rissos dolphin. Note distinguishing and highly variable skin and dorsal fin patterns, characteristic of this species. White scarring, likely caused by other Risso dolphins teeth, accumulates during the dolphins life so that adult Rissos dolphins are usually almost entirely white.
Atlantic spotted dolphin.
Sperm whale.
Atlantic spotted dolphin, Olympic swimmer Matt Biondi.
Pacific white sided dolphin, carrying drift kelp.
Rissos dolphin, breaching. Note distinguishing and highly variable skin and dorsal fin patterns, characteristic of this species. White scarring, likely caused by other Risso dolphins teeth, accumulates during the dolphins life so that adult Rissos dolphins are almost entirely white. San Diego.
Gray whale.
Bottlenose dolphin, breaching the surface of the ocean, offshore of San Diego.
Bottlenose dolphin, bubbles forming in its exhalation just below the surface of the ocean, offshore of San Diego.
Common dolphin at the edge of the ocean.
Water falling from a blue whale fluke as the whale dives to forage for food in the Santa Barbara Channel.
Pacific bottlenose dolphin breaches the ocean surface as it leaps and takes a breath. Open ocean near San Diego.
Common dolphin leaping.
Atlantic spotted dolphin.
Hawaiian spinner dolphin.
Sperm whale social group.
Sperm whale blowhole (left side of head).
False killer whale, eating fish.
Adult blue whale surfacing, Baja California (Mexico).
Gray whale, Laguna San Ignacio.
Short-finned pilot whale, adult and calf.