Cetacean photos

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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  
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  
Aerial photo of white Southern Right Whale calf with its mother. The mother is gray in color, rather than dark black, since she was a white calf herself and gradually darkened to gray as she matured. 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). The white coloration is a recessive genetic trait and only lasts a few months. Typically white calves become much darker as they mature but will still be lighter than normal even as adults. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides
Aerial photo of white Southern Right Whale calf with its mother. The mother is gray in color, rather than dark black, since she was a white calf herself and gradually darkened to gray as she matured. 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). The white coloration is a recessive genetic trait and only lasts a few months. Typically white calves become much darker as they mature but will still be lighter than normal even as adults. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 41180  
Aerial photo of Southern Right Whale Mother and Calf. Golfo Nuevo, Peninsula Valdes, Argentina. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides
Aerial photo of Southern Right Whale Mother and Calf. Golfo Nuevo, Peninsula Valdes, Argentina. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 41181  
Aerial photo of Eight Southern Right Whales in a large Courtship / Mating Group at Peninsula Valdes, Argentina. Eubalaena australis. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides
Aerial photo of Eight Southern Right Whales in a large Courtship / Mating Group at Peninsula Valdes, Argentina. Eubalaena australis. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 41187  
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  
Breaching Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis, Golfo Nuevo, Peninsula Valdes, Argentina. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides
Breaching Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis, Golfo Nuevo, Peninsula Valdes, Argentina. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 41178  
Breaching Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis, Golfo Nuevo, Peninsula Valdes, Argentina. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides
Breaching Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis, Golfo Nuevo, Peninsula Valdes, Argentina. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 41182  
Southern Right Whale with fluke raised out of the water with the famous "pyramid" of Puerto Piramides in the distance. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA, Eubalaena australis
Southern Right Whale with fluke raised out of the water with the famous "pyramid" of Puerto Piramides in the distance. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 41186  
Southern Right Whale with fluke raised out of the water with the famous "pyramid" of Puerto Piramides in the distance. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA, Eubalaena australis
Southern Right Whale with fluke raised out of the water with the famous "pyramid" of Puerto Piramides in the distance. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 41188  
Humpback Whale Breaching near Tahiti and Moorea, French Polynesia, Megaptera novaeangliae
Humpback Whale Breaching near Tahiti and Moorea, French Polynesia.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Moorea, French Polynesia, France
Image ID: 41338  
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  
A neonate gray whale calf, born just hours before, still exhbiting embryonic folds in the skin along its side. This baby gray whale was born in the cold waters of Big Sur, far to the north of the Mexican lagoons of Baja California where most gray whale births take place, Eschrichtius robustus, Monterey
A neonate gray whale calf, born just hours before, still exhbiting embryonic folds in the skin along its side. This baby gray whale was born in the cold waters of Big Sur, far to the north of the Mexican lagoons of Baja California where most gray whale births take place.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Location: Monterey, California
Image ID: 01135  
A blue whale spouts at sunset. The blow, or spout, of a blue whale can reach 30 feet into the air. The blue whale is the largest animal ever to live on earth, Balaenoptera musculus
A blue whale spouts at sunset. The blow, or spout, of a blue whale can reach 30 feet into the air. The blue whale is the largest animal ever to live on earth.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Image ID: 02217  
A blue whale eating krill. This blue whale is seen feeding and surfacing amid krill with its throat fully engorged with krill and water. It will push the water back out with its tongue, trapping the krill in its baleen which acts like a filter. Aerial photo, Baja California, Balaenoptera musculus
A blue whale eating krill. This blue whale is seen feeding and surfacing amid krill with its throat fully engorged with krill and water. It will push the water back out with its tongue, trapping the krill in its baleen which acts like a filter. Aerial photo, Baja California.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Image ID: 05837  
North Pacific 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 the calf she was observed nurturing. 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, Megaptera novaeangliae
North Pacific 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 the calf she was observed nurturing. 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: 05909  
Gray whales, two males both with extended penis during courtship socialization, Laguna San Ignacio, Eschrichtius robustus, San Ignacio Lagoon
Gray whales, two males both with extended penis during courtship socialization, Laguna San Ignacio.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Location: San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 06431  
Aerial photo of blue whale near San Diego as it swims on its side turning and blows a bubble of air out of its blowhole. This enormous blue whale glides at the surface of the ocean, resting and breathing before it dives to feed on subsurface krill, Balaenoptera musculus
Aerial photo of blue whale near San Diego as it swims on its side turning and blows a bubble of air out of its blowhole. This enormous blue whale glides at the surface of the ocean, resting and breathing before it dives to feed on subsurface krill.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 39427  
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All photographs copyright © Phillip Colla / Oceanlight.com, all rights reserved worldwide.