National Marine Sanctuaries photos

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North Pacific humpback whales, part of a larger competitive group of humpbacks, Megaptera novaeangliae, Maui
North Pacific humpback whales, part of a larger competitive group of humpbacks.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 05946  
North Pacific humpback whale, peduncle throw, Megaptera novaeangliae, Maui
North Pacific humpback whale, peduncle throw.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 00443  
Polyp of a strawberry anemone (club-tipped anemone, more correctly a corallimorph), Corynactis californica, San Miguel Island
Polyp of a strawberry anemone (club-tipped anemone, more correctly a corallimorph).
Species: Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica
Location: San Miguel Island, California
Image ID: 01039  
Pacific bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, Maui
Pacific bottlenose dolphin.
Species: Bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 04564  
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  
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  
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: 35133  
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  
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  
North Pacific humpback whales, socializing trio of adults, Megaptera novaeangliae, Maui
North Pacific humpback whales, socializing trio of adults.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 05933  
A California sea lion plays with a piece of kelp, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions, Zalophus californianus
A California sea lion plays with a piece of kelp, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 23427  
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  
California sea lion, with monofiliment cut, on the Monterey Breakwater, Zalophus californianus
California sea lion, with monofiliment cut, on the Monterey Breakwater.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Monterey, California
Image ID: 00958  
Gray whale, blow, Eschrichtius robustus, Big Sur, California
Gray whale, blow.
Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus
Location: Big Sur, California
Image ID: 01173  
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  
A sea otter, resting on its back, holding its paw out of the water for warmth. While the sea otter has extremely dense fur on its body, the fur is less dense on its head, arms and paws so it will hold these out of the cold water to conserve body heat, Enhydra lutris, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
A sea otter, resting on its back, holding its paw out of the water for warmth. While the sea otter has extremely dense fur on its body, the fur is less dense on its head, arms and paws so it will hold these out of the cold water to conserve body heat.
Species: Sea otter, Enhydra lutris
Location: Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
Image ID: 21602  
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: 35132  
Elephant seals crowd a sand beach at the Piedras Blancas rookery near San Simeon
Elephant seals crowd a sand beach at the Piedras Blancas rookery near San Simeon.
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 35140  
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  
Green sea turtle foraging for algae on coral reef, Chelonia mydas, West Maui, Hawaii, Chelonia mydas
Green sea turtle foraging for algae on coral reef, Chelonia mydas, West Maui, Hawaii.
Species: Green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 34506  
Green sea turtle Chelonia mydas, West Maui, Hawaii, Chelonia mydas
Green sea turtle Chelonia mydas, West Maui, Hawaii.
Species: Green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 34508  
Green sea turtle Chelonia mydas, West Maui, Hawaii, Chelonia mydas
Green sea turtle Chelonia mydas, West Maui, Hawaii.
Species: Green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 34509  
Green sea turtle foraging for algae on coral reef, Chelonia mydas, West Maui, Hawaii, Chelonia mydas
Green sea turtle foraging for algae on coral reef, Chelonia mydas, West Maui, Hawaii.
Species: Green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 34510  
Green sea turtle Chelonia mydas, West Maui, Hawaii, Chelonia mydas
Green sea turtle Chelonia mydas, West Maui, Hawaii.
Species: Green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 34511  
Green sea turtle Chelonia mydas, West Maui, Hawaii, Chelonia mydas
Green sea turtle Chelonia mydas, West Maui, Hawaii.
Species: Green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 34512  
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: 02813  
Humpback whale male escort emits a stream of bubbles during competitive group socializing. The whale is swimming so fast that the bubbles pass back alongside the whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, Maui
Humpback whale male escort emits a stream of bubbles during competitive group socializing. The whale is swimming so fast that the bubbles pass back alongside the whale.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 02855  
Male humpback whale bubble streaming underwater. The male escort humpback whale seen here is emitting a curtain of bubbles as it swims behind a mother and calf (barely seen in the distance), Megaptera novaeangliae, Maui
Male humpback whale bubble streaming underwater. The male escort humpback whale seen here is emitting a curtain of bubbles as it swims behind a mother and calf (barely seen in the distance).
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Maui, Hawaii
Image ID: 04434  
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All photographs copyright © Phillip Colla / Oceanlight.com, all rights reserved worldwide.