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| HUMPBACK WHALE |
Trust me, it's an EARTHWATCH INSTITUTE pictorial postmark, not so visible because of the dark blue water.
The EARTHWATCH INSTITUTE pictorial postmark is more visible here, on this SPERM WHALE (Physeter macrocephalus) maxicard that I created with an educational card:
Notice the very narrow lower jaw, as you view this Sperm Whale twisting thru the air, in the postcard image.
While we are at it, why don't you get a quick look on the flipside/backside:
Now back to the HUMPBACK WHALE
"The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a species of baleen whale. One of the largerrorqual species, adults range in length from 12–16 metres (39–52 ft) and weigh approximately 36,000 kilograms (79,000 lb). The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. It is an acrobatic animal, often breaching and slapping the water. Males produce a complex song, which lasts for 10 to 20 minutes and is repeated for hours at a time. The purpose of the song is not yet clear, although it appears to have a role in mating."
"Humpback whales are rorquals (family Balaenopteridae), a family that includes the blue whale, the fin whale, the Bryde's whale, the sei whale and the minke whale."
"The humpback has the most diverse feeding repertoire of all baleen whales.[26] Its most inventive technique is known as bubble net feeding: a group of whales swims in a shrinking circle blowing bubbles below a school of prey. The shrinking ring of bubbles encircles the school and confines it in an ever-smaller cylinder. This ring can begin at up to 30 metres (98 ft) in diameter and involve the cooperation of a dozen animals. Using a crittercam attached to a whale's back it was discovered that some whales blow the bubbles, some dive deeper to drive fish toward the surface, and others herd prey into the net by vocalizing.[27] The whales then suddenly swim upward through the 'net', mouths agape, swallowing thousands of fish in one gulp. Plated grooves in the whale's mouth allow the creature to easily drain all the water that was initially taken in. Solitary humpbacks have also been observed employing this technique.[citation needed]"
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[edit]Summary
| Description | Humpback whales in North Pass between Lincoln Island and Shelter Island in the Lynn Canal north of Juneau, Alaska. This is a group of 15 whales that were bubble net fishing on 18 August 2007. |
|---|---|
| Date | 18 August 2007 |
| Source | Own work |
| Author | |
| Permission (Reusing this file) | See below. |
This is an edited version of Image:Whales Bubble Net Feeding.jpg; straightened, cropped, adjusted levels, sharpened, noise reduced.
 | This English Wikipedia featured picture is fairly large and has an aspect ratio of approximately 8:5, 16:10, or 16:9, making it suitable as a widescreen computer wallpaper. |
[edit]Licensing
 | I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. In some countries this may not be legally possible; if so: I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law. |
No, I am NOT talking about ex-Gov.Eliot Spitzer here:
"Usually peduncling takes place among the focal animals (female, escort, challenging male) in a competitive group, apparently as an aggressive gesture. Possibilities include escorts fending off a particular challenging male, females who seem agitated with an escort, or an individual not comfortable with a watching boat's presence. Occasionally, one whale performs a series of dozens of peduncle throws, directed at the same target each time."
"Many reasons have been suggested for breaching. Whales are more likely to breach when they are in groups, suggesting social reasons, such as an assertion of dominance, courting or warning of danger. Scientists have called this theory "honest signalling". The immense cloud of bubbles and underwater disturbance following a breach cannot be faked; neighbours then know a breach has taken place. A single breach costs a whale only about 0.075% of its total daily energy intake, but a long series of breaches may add up to a significant energy expenditure.[1]
It is also possible that the loud "smack" upon re-entering is useful for stunning or scaring prey. Noisemaking is believed to be the reason for lobtailing. Others suggest that a breach allows the whale to breathe in air that is not close to the surface, which may aid breathing in rough seas. Another widely accepted possible reason is to dislodge parasites from the skin. The behaviour may also be a form of play."
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Happy Blue Monday! (meme)
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Huge beauty!
ReplyDeleteMy share of blue, have a nice week ahead!