Scratch Photos

Brown pelican portrait, scratching throat pouch, displaying winter plumage with distinctive yellow head feathers and red gular throat pouch but not yet displaying the brown hind neck feathers.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 28329  

Sea lion scratches its back on underwater stones.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Sea of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 31243  

Brown pelican stretching and scratching its throat pouch. Note the distinctive brown hind neck, yellow head and red/olive gular pouch which are classic winter breeding colors in California brown pelicans.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 20299  

Pelican scratching neck and throat, note small bits of white feathers.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 38709  

Pelican Practices Yoga Position Warrior Three, Virabhadrasana III, as it scratches its throat and stands on one leg. Brown pelican portrait, scratching throat pouch, displaying winter plumage with distinctive yellow head feathers and red gular throat pouch but not yet displaying the brown hind neck feathers.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis
Image ID: 39902  

Humpback Whale Fluke ID. Perfect view of the ventral surface of a humpback whale's fluke, as the whale raises its fluke just before diving underwater. The white patches, spots, scratches and scalloping along the trailing edge of the fluke make this whale identifiable when it is observed from year to year.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Sitka Sound, Alaska
Image ID: 40962  

Humpback Whale Fluke ID. Perfect view of the ventral surface of a humpback whale's fluke, as the whale raises its fluke just before diving underwater. The white patches, spots, scratches and scalloping along the trailing edge of the fluke make this whale identifiable when it is observed from year to year.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Sitka Sound, Alaska
Image ID: 40963  

Elephant seal pup scratches its face with its foreflipper. Note the five "fingernails" on the flipper. The pup will nurse for 27 days, when the mother stops lactating and returns to the sea. The pup will stay on the beach 12 more weeks until it becomes hungry and begins to forage for food.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 20404  

Lion cub scratching on tree, Olare Orok Conservancy, Kenya.
Species: African lion, Panthera leo
Location: Olare Orok Conservancy, Kenya
Image ID: 30100  

Lion cub scratching on tree, Olare Orok Conservancy, Kenya.
Species: African lion, Panthera leo
Location: Olare Orok Conservancy, Kenya
Image ID: 30106  

Brown bear scratching its wounds on a branch. It bears scars and wounds about its head from past fighting with other bears to establish territory and fishing rights. Brooks River.
Species: Brown bear, Ursus arctos
Location: Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska
Image ID: 17131  

Black bear scratches an itch by rubbing against a log cabin.
Species: American black bear, Ursus americanus
Location: Orr, Minnesota
Image ID: 18825  

Black bear scratches an itch by rubbing against a log cabin.
Species: American black bear, Ursus americanus
Location: Orr, Minnesota
Image ID: 18959