Humpback
Whale Encounters - Year 2000
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All images are copyright protected and ABSOLUTELY NO USE is permitted without written consent of Steve Alexander. For permission to use photos, please email Steve. |
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Click
here for Jen's exciting narrative of swimming with Humpbacks |
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Breach |
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Humpback Calf
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Leviathon |
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Diving Calf |
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Dive |
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Pec Slap
Rarotonga, Cook Islands #23312. The Humpback Whale has the largest appendage of the animal kingdom; it's pectoral flipper, or "pec" which can reach 15' (5m) in length. This whale is "pec-slapping", banging it's huge pec on the surface of the water. This is thought to be a means of communicating with other whales. |
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Mammalian
Mass
Rarotonga, Cook Islands #22433. At 30 to 40 tons and 20X the size of an elephant, the Humpback Whale is truly a huge mammal. The scars on the back of this one are from "Cookie Cutter Sharks" which take circular bites from the whales as free snacks! I guess we could compare it with being bitten by a mosquito! |
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Freedom
Vava'u, Tonga #36836. Nothing is more exhilarating than seeing a Humpback shooting clean out of the water. |
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Barnacled
Rarotonga, Cook Islands #23333. Barnacles attach themselves to the leading edges of the whales flukes. |
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Cruisin'
Beveridge Reef #27507. A two year old Humpback cruises in the shallow coral lagoon of a remote seamount. |
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Collecting Skin Samples |
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