Bull elk in sage brush with large rack of antlers during the fall rut (mating season). This bull elk has sparred with other bulls to establish his harem of females with which he hopes to mate.
Species: Elk, Cervus canadensis
Location: Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Image ID: 19702
Male elephant seals (bulls) rear up on their foreflippers and fight in the surf for access for mating females that are in estrous. Such fighting among elephant seals can take place on the beach or in the water. They bite and tear at each other on the neck and shoulders, drawing blood and creating scars on the tough hides.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 20370
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.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 20371
California golden gorgonian and small juvenile sheephead fishes on rocky reef, below kelp forest, underwater. The golden gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Each individual polyp is a distinct animal, together they secrete calcium that forms the structure of the colony. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by.
Species: California golden gorgonian, Muricea californica, Semicossyphus pulcher
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 23421
A group of juvenile and female Guadalupe fur seals rest and socialize over a shallow, kelp-covered reef. During the summer mating season, a single adjult male will form a harem of females and continually patrol the underwater boundary of his territory, keeping the females near and intimidating other males from approaching.
Species: Guadalupe fur seal, Arctocephalus townsendi
Location: Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 09675
A group of juvenile and female Guadalupe fur seals rest and socialize over a shallow, kelp-covered reef. During the summer mating season, a single adjult male will form a harem of females and continually patrol the underwater boundary of his territory, keeping the females near and intimidating other males from approaching.
Species: Guadalupe fur seal, Arctocephalus townsendi, Stephanocystis dioica
Location: Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 09677
A group of juvenile and female Guadalupe fur seals rest and socialize over a shallow, kelp-covered reef. During the summer mating season, a single adjult male will form a harem of females and continually patrol the underwater boundary of his territory, keeping the females near and intimidating other males from approaching.
Species: Guadalupe fur seal, Arctocephalus townsendi
Location: Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 09692
Female brown bear smells a tree stump for the scent of other bears that may be using the meadow in which she is keeping her cubs. Large adult males pose a threat to her cubs.
Species: Brown bear, Ursus arctos
Location: Lake Clark National Park, Alaska
Image ID: 19179
Primary escort male humpback whale bubble streaming during competitive group socializing. This primary escort is swimming behind a female. The bubble curtain may be a form of intimidation towards other male escorts that are interested in the female.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 04432
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
Garibaldi maintains a patch of algae (just in front of the fish) to entice a female to lay a clutch of eggs.
Image ID: 37149
Lyretail anthias fishes schooling over coral reef, females are orange, male are purple, polarized as they swim into ocean currents, Fiji.
Species: Anthias, Branching whip coral, Ellisella, Pseudanthias
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 31843
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
Primary escort male humpback whale bubble streaming during competitive group socializing. This primary escort is swimming behind a female. The bubble curtain may be a form of intimidation towards other male escorts that are interested in the female.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 04430
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: 04524
Peregrine Falcon mated pair perform midair food exchange. The male forages for prey and returns to the nest, exchanging the prey in mid air with the female who in turn will feed the young at the nest, Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve.
Species: Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus
Location: Torrey Pines State Reserve, San Diego, California
Image ID: 39325
Western Grebes Rushing on Lake Hodges. Synchronized rushing, where (usually) a male and female run across the water, lasts for only a few seconds. It is one of the most spectacular behaviors seen among birds.
Species: Western grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis
Location: Lake Hodges, San Diego, California
Image ID: 36786