Cetacean photos

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Portrait of a Southern Right Whale Underwater, Eubalaena australis. This particular right whale exhibits a beautiful mottled pattern on its sides, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Portrait of a Southern Right Whale Underwater, Eubalaena australis. This particular right whale exhibits a beautiful mottled pattern on its sides.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38391  
Portrait of a Southern Right Whale Underwater, Eubalaena australis. This particular right whale exhibits a beautiful mottled pattern on its sides, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Portrait of a Southern Right Whale Underwater, Eubalaena australis. This particular right whale exhibits a beautiful mottled pattern on its sides.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38393  
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, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
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.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38400  
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, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
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.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38434  
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, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
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.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38438  
Courting pair of southern right whales underwater, Eubalaena australis. While the posture in this photo isn't quite mating, it is a courting behavior that often precedes mating. The male is below, upside down and trying to access the female belly-to-belly. However, the female does not want to mate, so she has positioned herself upside down at the surface so that the males in the courting group cannot reach her genital slit, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Courting pair of southern right whales underwater, Eubalaena australis. While the posture in this photo isn't quite mating, it is a courting behavior that often precedes mating. The male is below, upside down and trying to access the female belly-to-belly. However, the female does not want to mate, so she has positioned herself upside down at the surface so that the males in the courting group cannot reach her genital slit.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38446  
South Pacific Humpback Whale Underwater, Moorea, French Polynesia, Megaptera novaeangliae
South Pacific Humpback Whale Underwater, Moorea, French Polynesia.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Moorea, French Polynesia, France
Image ID: 40662  
Whale hair on the rostrum and chin of a southern right whale, sidelit by the setting sun. These individual hairs provide sensor information to the whale as it swims through ocean currents or touches the ocean bottom, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Whale hair on the rostrum and chin of a southern right whale, sidelit by the setting sun. These individual hairs provide sensor information to the whale as it swims through ocean currents or touches the ocean bottom.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38331  
Seagull picks skin off a southern right whale, leaving a lesion that may become infected and which scientists have shown to be stressful to young calves, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Seagull picks skin off a southern right whale, leaving a lesion that may become infected and which scientists have shown to be stressful to young calves.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38333  
Southern right whale raises its fluke tail out of the water prior to diving, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Southern right whale raises its fluke tail out of the water prior to diving.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38337  
Southern right whale fluke raised out of the water, tail slapping, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Southern right whale fluke raised out of the water, tail slapping.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38339  
Southern right whale raises its fluke tail out of the water prior to diving, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Southern right whale raises its fluke tail out of the water prior to diving.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38341  
Breaching southern right whale, Eubalaena australis, Patagonia, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Breaching southern right whale, Eubalaena australis, Patagonia.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38405  
Adult male humpback whale bubble streaming underwater. The male escort humpback whale seen here is emitting a curtain of bubbles as it swims behind a female (left) during a competitive group. The bubble curtain may be meant as warning or visual obstruction to other male whales interested in the mother, Megaptera novaeangliae, Maui
Adult male humpback whale bubble streaming underwater. The male escort humpback whale seen here is emitting a curtain of bubbles as it swims behind a female (left) during a competitive group. The bubble curtain may be meant as warning or visual obstruction to other male whales interested in the mother.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02828  
Adult male humpback whale bubble streaming underwater. The male escort humpback whale seen here is emitting a curtain of bubbles as it swims behind a mother and calf. The bubble curtain may be meant as warning or visual obstruction to other nearby male whales interested in the mother, Megaptera novaeangliae, Maui
Adult male humpback whale bubble streaming underwater. The male escort humpback whale seen here is emitting a curtain of bubbles as it swims behind a mother and calf. The bubble curtain may be meant as warning or visual obstruction to other nearby male whales interested in the mother.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 05925  
North Pacific humpback whale, escort in competitive group makes fast close pass, Megaptera novaeangliae, Maui
North Pacific humpback whale, escort in competitive group makes fast close pass.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 06057  
Courting group of southern right whales, aerial photo. Mating may occur as a result of this courting and social behavior. The white whale seen here is a serious player named El Copulador (the copulator) and is often seen in mating and courting groups of southern right whales at Peninsula Valdes. His light coloration is an indication that he was a white calf, but he did not darken as he aged in the way most white southern right whale calves do, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Courting group of southern right whales, aerial photo. Mating may occur as a result of this courting and social behavior. The white whale seen here is a serious player named El Copulador (the copulator) and is often seen in mating and courting groups of southern right whales at Peninsula Valdes. His light coloration is an indication that he was a white calf, but he did not darken as he aged in the way most white southern right whale calves do.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38357  
Southern right whale mother and calf, aerial photo, Eubalaena australis, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Southern right whale mother and calf, aerial photo, Eubalaena australis.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38385  
Southern right whale mother and calf, aerial photo, Eubalaena australis, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Southern right whale mother and calf, aerial photo, Eubalaena australis.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38386  
Blue whale, raising fluke prior to diving for food, fluking up, lifting tail as it swims in the open ocean foraging for food, Balaenoptera musculus, San Diego, California
Blue whale, raising fluke prior to diving for food, fluking up, lifting tail as it swims in the open ocean foraging for food.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 40608  
Humpback whales bubblenet feeding in Southeast Alaska. Coordinated bubble-net feeding is a specialized cooperative feeding technique used by humpback whales, where a group of whales works together to trap fish or krill in a net of bubbles then lunge through to feed, Megaptera novaeangliae, Sitka Sound
Humpback whales bubblenet feeding in Southeast Alaska. Coordinated bubble-net feeding is a specialized cooperative feeding technique used by humpback whales, where a group of whales works together to trap fish or krill in a net of bubbles then lunge through to feed.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Sitka Sound, Alaska
Image ID: 40922  
Humpback Whale Raising Fluke Before Diving in Southeast Alaska, Megaptera novaeangliae, Sitka Sound
Humpback Whale Raising Fluke Before Diving in Southeast Alaska.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Sitka Sound, Alaska
Image ID: 40949  
Humpback whale breath hanging in cold still air, Southeast Alaska, Megaptera novaeangliae, Sitka Sound
Humpback whale breath hanging in cold still air, Southeast Alaska.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Sitka Sound, Alaska
Image ID: 40964  
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, Eschrichtius robustus, San Clemente
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.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Location: San Clemente, California
Image ID: 29017  
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, Balaenoptera musculus, Redondo Beach, California
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.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: Redondo Beach, California
Image ID: 25951  
Blue whale. The entire body of a huge blue whale is seen in this image, illustrating its hydronamic and efficient shape, Balaenoptera musculus, La Jolla, California
Blue whale. The entire body of a huge blue whale is seen in this image, illustrating its hydronamic and efficient shape.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 21251  
Blue whale. The entire body of a huge blue whale is seen in this image, illustrating its hydronamic and efficient shape, Balaenoptera musculus, La Jolla, California
Blue whale. The entire body of a huge blue whale is seen in this image, illustrating its hydronamic and efficient shape.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 21252  
Blue whale and San Onofre Nuclear Power generating station, raising fluke prior to diving for food, fluking up, lifting its tail as it swims in the open ocean foraging for food, Balaenoptera musculus, Dana Point, California
Blue whale and San Onofre Nuclear Power generating station, raising fluke prior to diving for food, fluking up, lifting its tail as it swims in the open ocean foraging for food.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: Dana Point, California
Image ID: 27337  
Pacific white sided dolphin carrying drift kelp, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens, San Diego, California
Pacific white sided dolphin carrying drift kelp.
Species: Pacific white-sided dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 00043  
Pacific bottlenose dolphin swimming offshore of Guadalupe Island, Mexico, Tursiops truncatus, Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe)
Pacific bottlenose dolphin swimming offshore of Guadalupe Island, Mexico.
Species: Bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus
Location: Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 00968  
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All photographs copyright © Phillip Colla / Oceanlight.com, all rights reserved worldwide.