Humpback Whale Photos, Megaptera novaeangliae

Humpback whale turning underwater showing ventral aspect of fluke with an entirely white fluke pattern.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 04490  

Male humpback whale emits an underwater stream of bubbles as it dives quickly during competitive group activities.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 04493  

Humpback whales turning sharply in competitive group.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 04522  

Male North Pacific humpback whale streams a trail of bubbles. The primary male escort whale (center) creates a curtain of bubbles underwater as it swims behind a female (right), with other challenging males trailing behind in a competitive group. The bubbles may be a form of intimidation from the primary escort towards the challenging escorts.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 04524  

North Pacific humpback whale underwater.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 04526  

North Pacific humpback whale underwater.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 04537  

North Pacific humpback whale underwater.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 06005  

North Pacific humpback whales, competitive group.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 06021  

Southern humpback whale in Antarctica, lifting its fluke (tail) before diving in Cierva Cove, Antarctica.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Cierva Cove, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica
Image ID: 25518  

Humpback whale holding fluke (tail) aloft out of the water.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 00171  

Humpback whale with one of its long pectoral fins raised aloft out of the water, swimming on its side (laterally) as it does so.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 01470  

North Pacific humpback whale, adult male with bloody head nodules wounded from colliding with other escorts during competitive interactions.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02152  

Male humpback whale with head raised out of the water, braking and pushing back at another whale by using pectoral fins spread in a "crucifix block", during surface active social behaviours.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 04106  

Blade Runner, the injured North Pacific humpback whale, is seen with her calf swimming alongside. This humpback whale showing extensive scarring, almost certainly from a boat propeller, on dorsal ridge. This female North Pacific humpback whale was first seen with the depicted lacerations near the island of Maui in the Hawaiian Islands in the mid-90s, and is the original humpback to bear the name 'Blade Runner'. This female has apparently recovered, as evidenced by her calf in the background. A South Pacific humpback whale endured a similar injury in Sydney Australia in 2001, and bears a remarkably similar scar pattern to the above-pictured whale.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 05907  

Humpback whale in Antarctica. A humpback whale swims through the beautiful ice-filled waters of Neko Harbor, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Neko Harbor, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica
Image ID: 25651  

Scarring of this humpback whale's fluke allow researchers to identify this particular whale from season to season.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Santa Rosa Island, California
Image ID: 27027  

Perfect view of the ventral surface of a humpback whales fluke, as the whale raises its fluke just before diving underwater. The white patches 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: Santa Rosa Island, California
Image ID: 27031  

Scarring of this humpback whale's fluke allow researchers to identify this particular whale from season to season.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Santa Rosa Island, California
Image ID: 27039  

Humpback whale blowhole, showing twin nares (nostrils) which have a few small parasites clinging to the whale's skin around the blowhole openings.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Santa Rosa Island, California
Image ID: 27041  

Adult male humpback whale singing, suspended motionless underwater. Only male humpbacks have been observed singing. All humpbacks in the North Pacific sing the same whale song each year, and the song changes slightly from one year to the next.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02812  

Adult male humpback whale singing, suspended motionless underwater. Only male humpbacks have been observed singing. All humpbacks in the North Pacific sing the same whale song each year, and the song changes slightly from one year to the next.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02814  

Adult male humpback whale singing, suspended motionless underwater. Only male humpbacks have been observed singing. All humpbacks in the North Pacific sing the same whale song each year, and the song changes slightly from one year to the next.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02815  

Male humpback whale diving amid competitive group.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02856  

Humpback whale competitive group, several adult male escort whales swimming closely together as part of a larger competitive group.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02857  

Humpback whale competitive group, several adult male escort whales swimming closely together as part of a larger competitive group.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02858  

Male humpback whale slowing/maneuving amid competitive group.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02859  

Humpback whale competitive group, several adult male escort whales swimming closely together as part of a larger competitive group.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02861  

Humpback whale competitive group, several adult male escort whales swimming closely together as part of a larger competitive group.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02869  

Humpback whale competitive group, several adult male escort whales swimming closely together as part of a larger competitive group.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02870  

North Pacific humpback whale, competitive group with bubble streaming.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02999