Courting pair of southern right whales underwater, Eubalaena australis. While the posture in this photo isn't quite mating, it is a courting behavior that often precedes mating. The male is below, upside down and trying to access the female belly-to-belly. However, the female does not want to mate, so she has positioned herself upside down at the surface so that the males in the courting group cannot reach her genital slit. Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
This image is featured in:
Courtship and Mating Groups Among Southern Right WhalesSpecies:
Southern Right Whale,
Eubalaena australisLocation:
Puerto Piramides,
Chubut,
ArgentinaImage ID:
38345Format: Digital 2:3
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