Search results for Behavior

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Ocean sunfish schooling near drift kelp, soliciting cleaner fishes, open ocean, Baja California, Mola mola
Ocean sunfish schooling near drift kelp, soliciting cleaner fishes, open ocean, Baja California.
Species: Ocean sunfish, Mola mola
Image ID: 06308  
Ocean sunfish schooling near drift kelp, soliciting cleaner fishes, open ocean, Baja California, Mola mola
Ocean sunfish schooling near drift kelp, soliciting cleaner fishes, open ocean, Baja California.
Species: Ocean sunfish, Mola mola
Image ID: 06311  
Blue whale, exhaling in a huge blow as it swims at the surface between deep dives. The blue whale's blow is a combination of water spray from around its blowhole and condensation from its warm breath, Balaenoptera musculus, La Jolla, California
Blue whale, exhaling in a huge blow as it swims at the surface between deep dives. The blue whale's blow is a combination of water spray from around its blowhole and condensation from its warm breath.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 21256  
Sea otters mating. The male holds the female's head or nose with his jaws during copulation. Visible scars are often present on females from this behavior. Sea otters have a polygynous mating system. Many males actively defend territories and will mate with females that inhabit their territory or seek out females in estrus if no territory is established. Males and females typically bond for the duration of estrus, or about 3 days, Enhydra lutris, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
Sea otters mating. The male holds the female's head or nose with his jaws during copulation. Visible scars are often present on females from this behavior. Sea otters have a polygynous mating system. Many males actively defend territories and will mate with females that inhabit their territory or seek out females in estrus if no territory is established. Males and females typically bond for the duration of estrus, or about 3 days.
Species: Sea otter, Enhydra lutris
Location: Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
Image ID: 21606  
Humpback whale lunge feeding on Antarctic krill, with mouth open and baleen visible. The humbpack's pink throat grooves are seen as its pleated throat becomes fully distended as the whale fills its mouth with krill and water. The water will be pushed out, while the baleen strains and retains the small krill, Megaptera novaeangliae, Gerlache Strait
Humpback whale lunge feeding on Antarctic krill, with mouth open and baleen visible. The humbpack's pink throat grooves are seen as its pleated throat becomes fully distended as the whale fills its mouth with krill and water. The water will be pushed out, while the baleen strains and retains the small krill.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Gerlache Strait, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica
Image ID: 25660  
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, Mirounga angustirostris, Piedras Blancas, San Simeon
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: 15394  
Brown pelicans preening. After wiping its long beak on the uropygial gland near the base of its tail, the pelican spreads the preen oil on feathers about its body, helping to keep them water resistant, an important protection for a bird that spends much of its life diving in the ocean for prey, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, La Jolla, California
Brown pelicans preening. After wiping its long beak on the uropygial gland near the base of its tail, the pelican spreads the preen oil on feathers about its body, helping to keep them water resistant, an important protection for a bird that spends much of its life diving in the ocean for prey.
Species: Brown Pelicans, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 20034  
Blue whale, adult and juvenile (likely mother and calf), swimming together side by side underwater in the open ocean, Balaenoptera musculus
Blue whale, adult and juvenile (likely mother and calf), swimming together side by side underwater in the open ocean.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Image ID: 01964  
Blue whale, exhaling in a huge blow as it swims at the surface between deep dives. The blue whale's blow is a combination of water spray from around its blowhole and condensation from its warm breath, Balaenoptera musculus, La Jolla, California
Blue whale, exhaling in a huge blow as it swims at the surface between deep dives. The blue whale's blow is a combination of water spray from around its blowhole and condensation from its warm breath.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 21255  
Bull elephant seal, adult male, bellowing. Its huge proboscis is characteristic of male elephant seals. Scarring from combat with other males, Mirounga angustirostris, Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
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: 35147  
Ocean sunfish portrait underwater, Mola mola, San Diego, Mola mola
Ocean sunfish portrait underwater, Mola mola, San Diego.
Species: Ocean sunfish, Mola mola
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 38538  
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, Megaptera novaeangliae, Maui
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: 02802  
Humpback whale competitive group, several adult male escort whales swimming closely together as part of a larger competitive group, Megaptera novaeangliae, Maui
Humpback whale competitive group, several adult male escort whales swimming closely together as part of a larger competitive group.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02864  
A brown pelican preening, reaching with its beak to the uropygial gland (preen gland) near the base of its tail. Preen oil from the uropygial gland is spread by the pelican's beak and back of its head to all other feathers on the pelican, helping to keep them water resistant and dry. Note the yellow throat of this individual, different than the more typical red throat, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, La Jolla, California
A brown pelican preening, reaching with its beak to the uropygial gland (preen gland) near the base of its tail. Preen oil from the uropygial gland is spread by the pelican's beak and back of its head to all other feathers on the pelican, helping to keep them water resistant and dry. Note the yellow throat of this individual, different than the more typical red throat.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 36844  
A brown pelican preening, reaching with its beak to the uropygial gland (preen gland) near the base of its tail. Preen oil from the uropygial gland is spread by the pelican's beak and back of its head to all other feathers on the pelican, helping to keep them water resistant and dry. Note adult winter breeding plumage in display, with brown neck, red gular throat pouch and yellow and white head, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, La Jolla, California
A brown pelican preening, reaching with its beak to the uropygial gland (preen gland) near the base of its tail. Preen oil from the uropygial gland is spread by the pelican's beak and back of its head to all other feathers on the pelican, helping to keep them water resistant and dry. Note adult winter breeding plumage in display, with brown neck, red gular throat pouch and yellow and white head.
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 20295  
North Pacific humpback whales, a mother and young calf swim near scientific research divers, Megaptera novaeangliae, Maui
North Pacific humpback whales, a mother and young calf swim near scientific research divers.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 00543  
Gray whale, blow, Eschrichtius robustus, Big Sur, California
Gray whale, blow.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Location: Big Sur, California
Image ID: 01173  
Manta ray and remora, Manta birostris, Remora, San Benedicto Island (Islas Revillagigedos)
Manta ray and remora.
Species: Giant manta ray, Manta birostris, Remora
Location: San Benedicto Island (Islas Revillagigedos), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 02456  
Humpback whale competitive group, several adult male escort whales swimming closely together as part of a larger competitive group, Megaptera novaeangliae, Maui
Humpback whale competitive group, several adult male escort whales swimming closely together as part of a larger competitive group.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02862  
A bull elephant seal forceably mates (copulates) with a much smaller female, often biting her into submission and using his weight to keep her from fleeing. Males may up to 5000 lbs, triple the size of females. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California, Mirounga angustirostris, Piedras Blancas, San Simeon
A bull elephant seal forceably mates (copulates) with a much smaller female, often biting her into submission and using his weight to keep her from fleeing. Males may up to 5000 lbs, triple the size of females. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 20388  
Humpback whale breaching, pectoral fin and rostrom visible, Megaptera novaeangliae, San Diego, California
Humpback whale breaching, pectoral fin and rostrom visible.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 27956  
Lemon shark with live sharksuckers, Echeneis naucrates, Negaprion brevirostris
Lemon shark with live sharksuckers.
Species: Lemon shark, Echeneis naucrates, Negaprion brevirostris
Location: Bahamas
Image ID: 10754  
Common Dolphin Breaching the Ocean Surface, San Diego, California
Common Dolphin Breaching the Ocean Surface.
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 34241  
Common Dolphin Breaching the Ocean Surface, San Diego, California
Common Dolphin Breaching the Ocean Surface.
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 34242  
Common Dolphin Breaching the Ocean Surface, San Diego, California
Common Dolphin Breaching the Ocean Surface.
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 34243  
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, Mirounga angustirostris, Piedras Blancas, San Simeon
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  
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, Mirounga angustirostris, Piedras Blancas, San Simeon
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: 35150  
Bull elephant seal, adult male, bellowing. Its huge proboscis is characteristic of male elephant seals. Scarring from combat with other males, Mirounga angustirostris, Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
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  
Courting pair of southern right whales underwater, Eubalaena australis. In this image, the male is below and inverted (belly up) and the female is at the surface. While the posture in this photo isn't quite mating, it is a courting behavior that often precedes mating, Eubalaena australis, Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Courting pair of southern right whales underwater, Eubalaena australis. In this image, the male is below and inverted (belly up) and the female is at the surface. While the posture in this photo isn't quite mating, it is a courting behavior that often precedes mating.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38294  
Ocean sunfish portrait underwater, Mola mola, San Diego, Mola mola
Ocean sunfish portrait underwater, Mola mola, San Diego.
Species: Ocean sunfish, Mola mola
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 38537  
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