Argentina

Argentina Underwater Photography Whales

New Photos of Southern Right Whales in Argentina, Eubalaena australis

After a three year break, I made it back to Peninsula Valdes with friends in September for another visit with Southern Right Whales (Eubalaena australis). There were two sessions planned and I was looking forward to both. The first was filled with sunny weather, inquisitive whales and generally great conditions.…

Phil CollaNovember 8, 2022

Argentina Underwater Photography Whales

Courtship and Mating Groups Among Southern Right Whales

Courting groups of whales are spectacular. I have seen many humpback courting groups (aka, active groups, or heat runs, although the latter is misleading) in Hawaii and, at one time in my life, was tasked with getting in the water to determine who the focal animals were (female and male)…

Phil CollaOctober 26, 2022

Argentina Whales

Southern Right Whale White Calf, Peninsula Valdes, Argentina

About 5% of southern right whale calves are born white, although that is a rough statistic which varies from year to year, study to study and which population is studied (Argentina or South Africa). A white calf is not an albino though, since it lacks the pink eyes of true…

Phil CollaOctober 25, 2022

Argentina Sea Lion Underwater Photography

South American Sea Lions, Otaria flavescens, Peninsula Valdes, Argentina

When I was in Argentina recently to photograph southern right whales, one of our secondary goals was to also photograph South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens), aka "southern sea lions". In 2019 we had spent a little time with them near Puerto Madryn, but that rookery is heavily visited…

Phil CollaOctober 24, 2022

Argentina Elephant Seal

Southern Elephant Seal Giving Birth, Peninsula Valdes, Argentina

While in Argentina recently to photograph southern right whales, we had a stretch of unfavorable weather with winds too high to get out on the water. So we drove from Puerto Piramides to Punta Norte and Caleta Valdes to check out the Magellanic penguins (which were just starting to arrive…

Phil CollaOctober 24, 2022

Argentina Underwater Photography Whales

Underwater Photos of Southern Right Whales, Eubalaena australis

In September 2019 I was able to visit Puerto Piramides, a town on Peninsula Valdes on the coast of Argentina, to photograph Southern Right Whales (Eubalaena australis). This had been a dream of mine since the 90s when I was active in humpback whale research in the Hawaiian Islands. One of…

Phil CollaMarch 10, 2020

Argentina Sea Lion Underwater Life Underwater Photography

South American Sea Lion, Patagonia, Argentina

I was in Patagonia recently to photograph Southern Right Whales. While there, my friends and I took a morning to visit South American Sea Lions (Otaria flavescens) near the coastal city of Puerto Madryn. A resident colony of South American sea lions is there, and it is relatively simple to…

Phil CollaMarch 10, 2020