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.
Guadalupe fur seal, floating upside down under the ocean's surface at Guadalupe Island, watching the photographer and looking for passing predators.
Brown pelican in flight against pastel-colored sky at sunrise. The wingspan of the brown pelican is over 7 feet wide. The California race of the brown pelican holds endangered species status. In winter months, breeding adults assume a dramatic plumage.
Male elk bugling during the fall rut. Large male elk are known as bulls. Male elk have large antlers which are shed each year. Male elk engage in competitive mating behaviors during the rut, including posturing, antler wrestling and bugling, a loud series of screams which is intended to establish dominance over other males and attract females.
Two tiger sharks.
Full grown, mature male coastal brown bear boar (grizzly bear) in sedge grass meadows.
Mule deer in tall grass, fall, autumn.
A Florida manatee, or West Indian Manatee, swims slowly through the clear waters of Crystal River.
Great White Shark, South Neptune Islands, South Australia.
Great White Shark, South Neptune Islands, South Australia.
Australian Sea Lion Underwater, Grindal Island. Australian sea lions are the only endemic pinniped in Australia, and are found along the coastlines and islands of south and west Australia.
Portrait of a young brown bear, pausing while grazing in tall sedge grass. Brown bears can consume 30 lbs of sedge grass daily, waiting weeks until spawning salmon fill the rivers.
Galapagos shark swims over a reef in the Galapagos Islands, with schooling fish in the distance.
A great white shark swims through the clear waters of Isla Guadalupe, far offshore of the Pacific Coast of Mexico's Baja California. Guadalupe Island is host to a concentration of large great white sharks, which visit the island to feed on pinnipeds and use it as a staging area before journeying farther into the Pacific ocean.
Brown booby flying over Rose Atoll at sunset, with dark colorful storm clouds and other birds in the background.
A white tern, or fairy tern, alights on a branch at Rose Atoll in American Samoa.
Tiger shark and horse-eye jacks.
South American sea lion underwater, Otaria flavescens, Patagonia, Argentina.
Mother and calf southern right whales underwater, swimming over sandy shallow bottom.
California sea lion framed by huge breaking wave in La Jolla.
Blue whale underwater photo showing entire whale head (rostrum) to tail (fluke). This picture of a blue whale shows it swimming through the open ocean, a rare underwater view. Specialized underwater camera gear, including an extremely wide lens, was used to capture the entire enormous whale in a single photograph.
A blue shark swims through the open ocean in search of prey, backlit by the sunset.
Caribbean reef shark, ampullae of Lorenzini visible on snout.
Fin whale underwater. The fin whale is the second longest and sixth most massive animal ever, reaching lengths of 88 feet.
Australian Sea Lion Underwater, Grindal Island. Australian sea lions are the only endemic pinniped in Australia, and are found along the coastlines and islands of south and west Australia.
California sea lion underwater playing with sea star.
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.
Steller sea lion underwater, Norris Rocks, Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Steller sea lion underwater, Norris Rocks, Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada.
The bright orange garibaldi fish, California's state marine fish, is also clownlike in appearance.
Australian Sea Lions in Kelp, Grindal Island. Australian sea lions are the only endemic pinniped in Australia, and are found along the coastlines and islands of south and west Australia.
A northern elephant seal hovers underwater over a rocky bottom along the coastline of Guadalupe Island.
Juvenile Northern Elephant Seal Underwater, Coronado Islands, Mexico.
Pacific torpedo ray Tetronarce californica, amidst huge schools of fish and baitfish, Farnsworth Banks, Catalina Island. This electric ray will shock the hell out of you if you are not careful.
South American sea lions underwater, Otaria flavescens, Patagonia, Argentina.
Sea lion underwater in beautiful sunset light.
Steller sea lion underwater, Norris Rocks, Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Giant black sea bass, endangered species, reaching up to 8' in length and 500 lbs, amid giant kelp forest.
California brown pelican in flight, spreading wings wide to slow in anticipation of landing on seacliffs. Adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Bull elephant seal exits the water to retake his position on the beach. He shows considerable scarring on his chest and proboscis from many winters fighting other males for territory and rights to a harem of females. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California.
Mother and calf gray whale, aerial photo, embryonic folds visible on the very young calf.
The leafy seadragon (Phycodurus eques) is found on the southern and western coasts of Australia. Its extravagent appendages serve only for camoflage, since it has a nearly-invisible dorsal fin that propels it slowly through the water. The leafy sea dragon is the marine emblem of South Australia.
Great White Shark, South Neptune Islands, South Australia.
Coyote, pausing to look for prey as it passes through Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.
Guadalupe fur seal pup sits on brown rocks along the coastline of Guadalupe Island.
Brown pelican in flight. The wingspan of the brown pelican is over 7 feet wide. The California race of the brown pelican holds endangered species status. Adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Brown pelican in flight. The wingspan of the brown pelican is over 7 feet wide. The California race of the brown pelican holds endangered species status. Adult winter non-breeding plumage.
California brown pelican in flight, spreading wings wide to slow in anticipation of landing on seacliffs, dark background caused by seacliffs in morning shadow.
Black bear walking in a grassy meadow. Black bears can live 25 years or more, and range in color from deepest black to chocolate and cinnamon brown. Adult males typically weigh up to 600 pounds. Adult females weight up to 400 pounds and reach sexual maturity at 3 or 4 years of age. Adults stand about 3' tall at the shoulder.
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.
Ocean sunfish schooling, open ocean near San Diego.
Steller sea lion underwater, Norris Rocks, Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Silky Shark at San Benedicto Islands, Revillagigedos, Mexico.
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.
Western gull, early morning pink sky.
Northern fur seal swims through the cold waters and kelp forest of San Miguel Island, in California's northern Channel Islands.
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.
California sea lions, Coronado Islands.
The leafy seadragon (Phycodurus eques) is found on the southern and western coasts of Australia. Its extravagent appendages serve only for camoflage, since it has a nearly-invisible dorsal fin that propels it slowly through the water. The leafy sea dragon is the marine emblem of South Australia.
Brown pelican head throw. During a bill throw, the pelican arches its neck back, lifting its large bill upward and stretching its throat pouch.
Steller sea lion underwater bubble display, Norris Rocks, Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada.
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.
Lionness and two week old cub, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.
Lion female, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.
Leopard, Olare Orok Conservancy, Kenya.
Brown pelican portrait, displaying winter plumage with distinctive yellow head feathers and red gular throat pouch.
Australian Sea Lion Underwater, Grindal Island. Australian sea lions are the only endemic pinniped in Australia, and are found along the coastlines and islands of south and west Australia.
Maasai Giraffe, Amboseli National Park.
California sea lion hauled out on rocks beside the ocean.
Coyote in snow covered field along the Madison River.
A sea otter, resting on its back, holding its paw out of the water for warmth. While the sea otter has extremely dense fur on its body, the fur is less dense on its head, arms and paws so it will hold these out of the cold water to conserve body heat.
Underwater Portrait of an Ocean Sunfish Mola mola Swimming in the Open Ocean, near San Diego.
Bull elephant seal, adult male, bellowing. Its huge proboscis is characteristic of male elephant seals. Scarring from combat with other males. Central California.
Bison.
Galapagos fur seal, Darwin Island.
Atlantic spotted dolphin, juvenile.
Pacific white sided dolphin, carrying drift kelp.
Pelagic red tuna crab, open ocean.
Coral hawkfish.
Coyote, Sierra Nevada foothills, Mariposa, California.
Western gull, early morning pink sky.
Bottlenose dolphin, breaching the surface of the ocean, offshore of San Diego.
Scalloped hammerhead shark.
Brown pelican portrait, displaying winter breeding plumage with distinctive dark brown nape, yellow head feathers and red gular throat pouch.
Brown pelican portrait, displaying winter breeding plumage with distinctive dark brown nape, yellow head feathers and red gular throat pouch.
Brown pelican portrait, displaying winter plumage with distinctive yellow head feathers and red gular throat pouch.
Roosevelt elk, adult bull male with large antlers. Roosevelt elk grow to 10' and 1300 lb, eating grasses, sedges and various berries, inhabiting the coastal rainforests of the Pacific Northwest.
Roosevelt elk, adult bull male with large antlers. This bull elk has recently shed the velvet that covers its antlers. While an antler is growing, it is covered with highly vascular skin called velvet, which supplies oxygen and nutrients to the growing bone; once the antler has achieved its full size, the velvet is lost and the antler's bone dies. This dead bone structure is the mature antler, which is itself shed after each mating season. Roosevelt elk grow to 10' and 1300 lb, eating grasses, sedges and various berries, inhabiting the coastal rainforests of the Pacific Northwest.
Brown pelican head throw. During a bill throw, the pelican arches its neck back, lifting its large bill upward and stretching its throat pouch.
Western gull portrait.
Sea Turtle, underwater, black and white.
Bottlenose dolphin.