This Week's Most Frequently Viewed Images

Brown booby (juvenile).
Species: Brown booby, Sula leucogaster
Location: Rose Atoll National Wildlife Sanctuary, American Samoa
Image ID: 00884  

A huge blue whale swims through the open ocean in this underwater photograph. The blue whale is the largest animal ever to live on Earth.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Image ID: 03027  

Pelagic stingray, open ocean.
Species: Pelagic stingray, Pteroplatytrygon violacea
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 02108  

Green sea turtle exhibiting fibropapilloma tumors, West Maui.
Species: Green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02837  

Humpback whale competitive group, underwater, swimming quickly and one trailing a stream of bubbles.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02854  

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: 05968  

Angel shark, Islas San Benito.
Species: Angel shark, Squatina californica
Location: San Benito Islands (Islas San Benito), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 05792  

Cactus and lava field, Punta Espinosa.
Location: Fernandina Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Image ID: 05585  

Seventeen Palms Oasis, Borrego Badlands.
Location: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Borrego Springs, California
Image ID: 05539  

Cardon cactus, near La Paz, Baja California, Mexico. Known as the elephant cactus or Mexican giant cactus, cardon is largest cactus in the world and is endemic to the deserts of the Baja California peninsula. Some specimens of cardon have been measured over 21m (70) high. These slow-growing plants live up to 300 years and can weigh 25 tons. Cardon is often mistaken for the superficially similar saguaro of Arizona and Sonora, but the saguaro does not occupy Baja California.
Species: Cardon cactus, Pachycereus pringlei
Location: La Paz, Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 05498  

Squid, mating and laying eggs.
Species: Common squid, Loligo opalescens
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 05381  

Bluebanded goby, Catalina.
Species: Bluebanded goby, Lythrypnus dalli
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 04597  

Hawaiian humpback whale underwater, sun beams dappling the whale in clear oceanic waters.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 04501  

Giant Sequoia tree.
Species: Giant sequoia tree, Sequoiadendron giganteum
Location: Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park, California
Image ID: 03644  

Northern elephant seal underwater at Guadalupe Island.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 03508  

Ocean sunfish and photographer, open ocean.
Species: Ocean sunfish, Mola mola
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 03324  

Ocean sunfish, open ocean.
Species: Ocean sunfish, Mola mola
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 03321  

Red-footed booby.
Species: Red-footed booby, Sula sula
Location: Cocos Island, Costa Rica
Image ID: 03254  

Krill, Baja California (Pacific Ocean).
Species: Krill, Thysanoessa spinifera
Image ID: 03117  

Purple jellyfish, open ocean.
Species: Purple jellyfish, Pelagia noctiluca
Location: Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 06210