Marine Mammals

Hawaii Humpback Whale

Humpback Whale Underwater Bubble Streaming Among Rowdy Groups in Hawaii

During the years I worked for Dan Salden and Hawaii Whale Research Foundation studying humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Hawaii, we usually looked for surface active groups ("rowdy groups") when possible, since these groups offered the greatest potential for collecting the social affiliation information that was the focus of Dan's…

Phil CollaMay 7, 2016

Islas Coronado Mexico Sea Lion Underwater Life Underwater Photography

California Sea Lions, Coronado Islands, Mexico

Some of my favorite diving with California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) has taken place at Mexico's Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado). The Coronados are a small group of undeveloped rocky islands just offshore of Tijuana, Mexico and only about an hour boat ride south of San Diego. Seemingly barren, the islands…

Phil CollaMay 5, 2016

Mexico Sea Lion Sea of Cortez Underwater Photography

California Sea Lions at Los Islotes, Espiritu Santo Biosphere Reserve, Baja California, Mexico

California sea lions underwater, Sea of Cortez, Mexico Image ID: 31205 Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus Location: Sea of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico In October, Tracy and I joined our friends Mike and Sherry, Skip, Shirley, Barb and Walt for 9 wonderful days diving in the Sea of Cortez…

Phil CollaJanuary 29, 2016

Alaska Antarctica Bald Eagle California Fiji Hawaii Mexico Ocean Sunfish Penguin Surf Underwater Photography

Seven of my Favorite Images #challengeonnaturephotography

In December a Facebook "challenge" was making the rounds named #challengeonnaturephotography. One of my favorite underwater photographers, Allison Vitsky Sallmon, nominated me to give it a try, and these are the seven images I plucked from my files to share. Each bears a special place in my personal history of…

Phil CollaJanuary 16, 2016

Marine Life Sea Lion

Killer Whales (Orca) attacking California Sea Lion

I saw Wild Kingdom in action yesterday: killer whales preying upon California sea lions. Classified as Biggs transient orcas, these individuals are well known (CA51) for terrorizing other marine mammals along the Southern California coast. "Biggs transients" are one of four distinct populations (some insist they are species) of killer…

Phil CollaFebruary 9, 2015

Blue Whale Icons Underwater Life Underwater Photography

Blue Whale Full Body Photo

Blue Whale Full Body Photo For more, see Blue Whale Photos, Balaenoptera musculus I made my first underwater photo of a blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) about 18 years ago, and over the intervening years I have struggled to make a perfect image of an entire blue whale, rostrum to fluke,…

Phil CollaJanuary 29, 2015

Islas Coronado Mexico Underwater Life

Whales at the Coronado Islands, Mexico

Whales visit the Coronado Islands in Mexico throughout the year. During winter months, gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) pass by the islands, first southbound and a few months later traveling north, during their annual migration between Baja California and the Bering Sea. Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) and blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus)…

Phil CollaFebruary 12, 2014

Aerial Photography

Gray Whale Aerial Photos, Eschrichtius robustus, California

Gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) migrate from the Bering Sea in Alaska down the west coast of the United States to the "calving lagoons" of Baja California. (A small number of grays whales also live in the extreme western Pacific.) This migration is considered the longest of any mammal. Calves are…

Phil CollaJanuary 27, 2014

Beautiful Views of San Diego Blue Whale Humpback Whale

Whale Triple Header: Blue Whales, Humpback Whales, Fin Whales, Del Mar, California

GREAT WHALE TRIPLEHEADER. What's that you say? Read on... This is a photograph of a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) performing a peduncle throw (or "tail throw", or "tail lob"). The man who taught me most of what I know about whales, friend and whale researcher Dr. Dan Salden, often referred…

Phil CollaJanuary 17, 2013

Environmental Problems Sea Lion Sea of Cortez Underwater Life Underwater Photography

International Conservation Photography Awards 2012

Art Wolfe hosts the biennial International Conservation Photography Awards ("ICP Awards"). One of my images was honored in the 2010 edition of the competition, so I decided to try again this year. My photograph of a young California sea lion entangled in monofilament fishing line, taken in the Espiritu Santo…

Phil CollaAugust 15, 2012

Humpback Whale

Humpback Whale Breaching Near San Diego

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are found throughout the worlds oceans, but seeing them near San Diego is somewhat unusual. Conventional wisdom has it that humpback whales in California are most often seen in the Channel Islands near Santa Barbara, as well as the central coast near Monterey Bay. However, if…

Phil CollaAugust 7, 2012

Environmental Problems Sea Lion Underwater Life Underwater Photography

Wildlife Entanglement: Sea Lion and Monofilament, Pelican and Shopping Bag

Photos of Wildlife Entanglement in Plastic Unfortunately, I have had a number of opportunities to photograph wildlife entangled in plastic debris. Plastic Debris. We make it, we use it and then we leave it behind. This stuff is killing animals and causing problems everywhere. I find it dismaying every time…

Phil CollaMarch 22, 2012

Harbor Seal La Jolla

Nature’s Best Windland Smith Rice Contest: Pacific Harbor Seal, La Jolla, California

Cute Harbor Seal Photo, La Jolla, California. This is the third of three images I had that were Highly Commended in this year's Windland Smith Rice photography competition.* This is one of the famous or, depending on your political position, notorious Pacific harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi) the reside at…

Phil CollaDecember 16, 2011

California Dolphin Underwater Life Underwater Photography

Pacific White-Sided Dolphin Photos

Pacific White-Sided Dolphin Photos The first dolphins I ever photographed were Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens). This extremely fast moving species of dolphin often appears around San Diego in winter, but is normally found much further north ranging as far as Alaska and around to Japan. We would freedive in…

Phil CollaMay 3, 2011

Hawaii Humpback Whale Icons Ocean Realm

Heat Run: Humpback Whale Behavior Photos

Humpback whale underwater photography. Originally titled "Heat Run", this appeared in Ocean Realm Magazine in April 1995, the first of a series of articles I authored for Ocean Realm in the '90s. This blog post is now available as a downloadable PDF article. Each winter North Pacific humpback whales (Megaptera…

Phil CollaNovember 1, 2009

Aerial Photography Blue Whale California Wildlife

Blue Whale Aerial Photo

This blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), was photographed offshore of the coast of Baja California, Mexico: Keywords: blue whale photos, Balaenoptera musculus

Phil CollaSeptember 20, 2006

Alaska Kenai Fjords Marine Life

Sea Otter Photo

This sea otter (Enhydra lutris), was photographed in Resurrection Bay, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska: Sea otter.Image ID: 16940Species: Sea otter, Enhydra lutrisLocation: Resurrection Bay, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska, USA Keywords: sea otter photos, Enhydra lutris

Phil CollaSeptember 19, 2006

Blue Whale California San Diego Wildlife

Photo of a Blue Whale Fluke

Check out the fluke on this blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) , fringed with barnacles and sporting what is almost certainly an orca bite on the left lobe: See also whale fluke photos.

Phil CollaJuly 2, 2006

Blue Whale California Wildlife

Summer Is Here Now

Summer has not officially started until I have seen a blue whale. My first blue whale photo of 2006: I got out recently with Mike Johnson and we saw a few blue whales.

Phil CollaJune 22, 2006

Hawaii Humpback Whale Underwater Life Wildlife

Photos of Humpback Whale Bubble Displays

Humpback whales are famous for their use of bubbles to "net" prey, especially in Alaska where coordinated bubble netting among groups of humpback whales is often seen. However, humpbacks also commonly use bubble displays and air releases in their social interactions in warm waters. It is thought the these bubble…

Phil CollaJune 23, 2005

Islas Coronado Mexico Sea Lion

California Sea Lions, Baja California

Each winter California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) gather in the hundreds on the rock slopes of North Coronado Island, just south of the US/Mexico border. The bottom diving is unremarkable here the remainder of the year, but when the sea lions are gathered in such numbers it is worth making…

Phil CollaMarch 15, 2005

Environmental Problems Humpback Whale Marine Life Ocean Sunfish

Photos of Boat Strikes of Marine Animals

Boat strikes of marine animals are increasingly common, for obvious reasons. It is disappointing to observe a marine animal severely or mortally wounded by a collision with a boat. We have encountered several marine animals bearing unmistakable boat propeller scars: North Pacific humpback whale showing extensive scarring, almost certainly from…

Phil CollaMarch 8, 2005

California Central Coast Elephant Seal

Newborn Northern Elephant Seal, Central California

Mother and newborn pup Northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris, central California coast. This newborn pup had just been born minutes before this photo was taken. Placental material, seen in the background, has attracted sea gulls who will consume it. The pup will be weaned surprisingly fast, in as little 2-3…

Phil CollaFebruary 8, 2005

California Harbor Seal La Jolla

Photos of La Jolla Seals

Controversy over the La Jolla seals continues. To make a long story short: a group of Pacific harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) has taken up residence on the sand at the Children's Pool, a small pocket cove in La Jolla, California also known as Casa Cove. Their presence there has led…

Phil CollaFebruary 1, 2005

Florida Manatee Marine Life Underwater Life

Photo of West Indian Manatee, Crystal River, Florida

A West Indian manatee, also known as a Florida manatee, at the Three Sisters Springs on the Crystal River, Florida. A Florida manatee, or West Indian Manatee, swims slowly through the clear waters of Crystal River. Image ID: 02696 Species: West Indian manatee, Trichechus manatus Location: Three Sisters Springs, Crystal…