Search results for National Marine Sanctuaries

Gray whale, blow.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Location: Big Sur, California
Image ID: 01170  

Gray whale.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Location: Monterey, California
Image ID: 01190  

Feather duster worm.
Species: Feather duster worm, Eudistylia polymorpha
Location: San Miguel Island, California
Image ID: 02544  

Simnia and egg cluster on gorgonian.
Species: Simnia, Delonovolva aequalis
Location: Anacapa Island, California
Image ID: 02556  

Nudibranch on calcareous coralline algae.
Species: Opalescent nudibranch, Hermissenda crassicornis
Location: Monterey, California
Image ID: 05285  

Chestnut cowrie with mantle extended.
Species: Chestnut cowrie, Date cowrie, Cypraea spadicea
Location: San Miguel Island, California
Image ID: 01035  

Anemone mouth.
Species: Aggregating anemone, Anthopleura elegantissima
Location: San Miguel Island, California
Image ID: 02484  

Orange cup coral.
Species: Orange cup coral, Balanophyllia elegans
Location: Monterey, California
Image ID: 02559  

A cluster of vibrantly-colored strawberry anemones (club-tipped anemone, more correctly a corallimorph) polyps clings to the rocky reef.
Species: Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 10168  

Kelp fronds showing pneumatocysts, bouyant gas-filled bubble-like structures which float the kelp plant off the ocean bottom toward the surface, where it will spread to form a roof-like canopy. Santa Barbara Island.
Species: Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 10228  

Bull elephant seal, adult male, bellowing. Its huge proboscis is characteristic of male elephant seals. Scarring from combat with other males.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 35152  

A bull elephant seal (adult male) surveys the beach. The huge proboscis is characteristic of the species. Scarring from combat with other males. Central California.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 15460  

Male elephant seal rears up on its foreflippers and bellows to intimidate other males and to survey its beach territory. Winter, Central California.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 15489  

Male elephant seals (bulls) rear up on their foreflippers and fight for territory and harems of females. Bull elephant seals will haul out and fight from December through March, nearly fasting the entire time as they maintain their territory and harem. They bite and tear at each other on the neck and shoulders, drawing blood and creating scars on the tough hides. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 35135  

North Pacific humpback whale, mother and calf near ocean surface, cow/calf.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02998  

Male humpback whale emits an underwater stream of bubbles as it swims quickly during competitive group activities.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 04421  

Gray whale, raising fluke to dive.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Location: Big Sur, California
Image ID: 05780  

Gray whale, raising fluke to dive.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Location: Big Sur, California
Image ID: 05781  

California sea lion, adult male, profile of head showing long whiskers and prominent sagittal crest (cranial crest bone), hauled out on rocks to rest, early morning sunrise light, Monterey breakwater rocks.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Monterey, California
Image ID: 21566  

Water falling from a blue whale fluke as the whale dives to forage for food in the Santa Barbara Channel.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: Santa Rosa Island, California
Image ID: 27023  

A sea otter eats a clam that it has taken from the shallow sandy bottom of Elkhorn Slough. Because sea otters have such a high metabolic rate, they eat up to 30% of their body weight each day in the form of clams, mussels, urchins, crabs and abalone. Sea otters are the only known tool-using marine mammal, using a stone or old shell to open the shells of their prey as they float on their backs.
Species: Sea otter, Enhydra lutris
Location: Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
Image ID: 21612  

Male elephant seals (bulls) rear up on their foreflippers and fight for territory and harems of females. Bull elephant seals will haul out and fight from December through March, nearly fasting the entire time as they maintain their territory and harem. They bite and tear at each other on the neck and shoulders, drawing blood and creating scars on the tough hides. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 35142  

Bull elephant seal, adult male, bellowing. Its huge proboscis is characteristic of male elephant seals. Scarring from combat with other males.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 35143  

Kelp fronds showing pneumatocysts, bouyant gas-filled bubble-like structures which float the kelp plant off the ocean bottom toward the surface, where it will spread to form a roof-like canopy.
Image ID: 37146  

Kelp fronds showing pneumatocysts, bouyant gas-filled bubble-like structures which float the kelp plant off the ocean bottom toward the surface, where it will spread to form a roof-like canopy.
Image ID: 37150  

Kelp fronds covered with hydroids.
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 40524  

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: 02795  

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: 02800  

Humpback whale male escort emits a stream of bubbles during competitive group socializing. The whale is swimming so fast that the bubbles pass back alongside the whale.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02822  

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: 02826