Tag: whales

Monday Morning Wake-Up Call

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Photographer Franco Banfi and a team of scuba divers were following a pod of sperm whales in Dominica Island when suddenly the large creatures became motionless and began to take a synchronized vertical rest. This strange sleeping position was first discovered only in 2008, when a team of biologists from the UK and Japan drifted into their own group of non-active sperm whales. After studying tagged whales the team learned this collective slumber occurs for approximately 7 percent of the animal’s life, in short increments of just 6-24 minutes.

You can see more of the Switzerland-based photographer’s underwater photography on his website and Instagram

Source: A Photographer Captures the Unusual Way Sperm Whales Sleep via thisiscollosal.com, July 4, 2017)

Thank you Eric.

Pause. For 145 sec. Be transported.

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A bird’s eye view of 2,000 beluga whales in the Northwest passage.

Magic.

 

Go Big. Go Right. (Be Moved)

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Southern right whales, which can measure about 55 feet and weigh up to 60 tons, were once hunted to the brink of extinction. The present population off Australia numbers about 2,500. The global population is about 12,000.

“Dave Price who was just making his way over to the whales on his stand-up board said they were really inquisitive and came over to meet him.  There was one time when the whales lifted their heads up [and] looked up over Pricey’s board. They were so inquisitive and wanted to know what he was.”

Source: Grindtv.com

The Salt of the Earth

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“I also befriended a whale. These are the whales in Argentina. An adult like this is 35 meters long, weighs about 40 tons. She came so close to the boat, I could touch her.  And it was incredible. Such sensitive skin! As I was caressing her, I could see her tail, 35 meters away, trembling. Incredible sensitivity. We had a small boat, just 7 meters long. She knew she could have sunk us. But she never once hit the boat. Not once! As we left, she began slapping her tail.”

~ Sebastião Salgado, Genesis from The Salt of the Earth (01:33:26)

Whether you are a professional or hobby photographer, or don’t take pictures at all, this documentary on the life and work of Sebastião Salgado will leave its mark on you.  Must see…here’s the trailer:

Notes:

Hump Hump Hump Humpbacks!

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Amateur photographer Katrina Begg took this incredible shot of two whales breaching in tandem off Flynns Beach, off the coast of Port Macquarie in Australia.

Read more here: Herald Sun (July 7, 2015)