Humpback Whale Collection (#5)

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) swimming towards surface, Tubuai, French Polynesia, Pacific Ocean

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) swimming towards surface, Tubuai, French Polynesia, Pacific Ocean

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) swimming below water surface with snorkeler in the background, Tubuai, French Polynesia, Pacific Ocean

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) female swimming at surface, Tubuai, French Polynesia, Pacific Ocean

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching, Manabi, Ecuador, Pacific Ocean

A Whale in Antarctica
John-Mei Zhong

Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling
3760728 Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling by Kipling, Joseph Rudyard (1865-1936); (add.info.: Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling)

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) female breaching. Vava'u, Tonga. Pacific Ocean

Southern humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) breaching. Vava'u, Tonga, South Pacific

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) rear view of males escort, with adult female and male calf in the background. Vava'u, Tonga, South Pacific

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching, Vava'u, Tonga, South Pacific

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) female breaching together with her male calf. The calf had a large wound on his left peduncle area, one that appeared to be the result of a large bite

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) executing a forward face-flop breach, Vava'u, Tonga, South Pacific

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) calf Tahafa male with injured pectoral fin and scarred body, with mother. Vava'u, Tonga, Pacific Ocean. COP26 Countdown Photo Competition 2021 Finalist

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) adult female breaching, Vava'u, Tonga, South Pacific sequence 1/3

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) male calf with his mother. Vava'u, Tonga. South Pacific

Humpback whale female calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) posing with her pectoral fins held together, with her mother resting in the background. Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga. Pacific Ocean

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) playing, skimming the ocean surface with the tips of his pectoral fins. Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga. Pacific Ocean

Whale Stranded on the Ice, 1865 (engraving)
LSE4077152 Whale Stranded on the Ice, 1865 (engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Whale Stranded on the Ice - in " The World of the Sea" by Alferd)

Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling
3760725 Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling by Kipling, Joseph Rudyard (1865-1936); (add.info.: Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling. The Whale swallowing the Mariner)

An Eskimo man standing under a structure with whale meat hanging to dry, c. 1929 (b/w photo)
7315998 An Eskimo man standing under a structure with whale meat hanging to dry, c.1929 (b/w photo) by Curtis, Edward Sheriff (1868-1952) ; Private Collection; (add.info)

Native Americans launching a whale boat at Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska, c. 1929 (b/w photo)
7315343 Native Americans launching a whale boat at Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska, c.1929 (b/w photo) by Curtis, Edward Sheriff (1868-1952) ; Private Collection; (add.info)

Harpooning a Greenland Whale which has tossed one of the attacking boats. From William Jardine The Naturlist's
530711 Harpooning a Greenland Whale which has tossed one of the attacking boats. From William Jardine The Naturlist's Library: On the Ordinary Cetacea, Edinburgh, 1837. Hand-coloured engraving

Two Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) nose to nose, Moorea, French Polynesia, Pacific Ocean

Jonas swallows by the whale, 1926 (Illustration)
7304410 Jonas swallows by the whale, 1926 (Illustration) by Rabier, Benjamin (1869-1939); Private Collection; (add.info.: "Jonas swallowed by the whale" Illustration by Benjamin Rabier)

Juvenile Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) swimming up to the surface, Hawaii, Pacific Ocean

Re-Dive
Daisuke Kurashima

Deep blue sea
Serge Melesan

Humpback whale on the Iris bank
Barathieu Gabriel

Whaling
7272474 Whaling by Unknown Artist, (19th century); (add.info.: Whaling (Balaena mysticetus) table from natural history treaty edited by Charles D Orbigny, Paris 1849.); Fototeca Gilardi

The whale heaved its whole vast bulk out of the water (colour litho)
3100088 The whale heaved its whole vast bulk out of the water (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The whale heaved its whole vast bulk out of the water)

Shipping in Choppy Seas with a Whale in the Foreground, 1650-1700 (oil on panel)
7286020 Shipping in Choppy Seas with a Whale in the Foreground, 1650-1700 (oil on panel) by Verwer, Justus de (1626-88); 49x90 cm; Private Collection; (add.info)

Tale of whales
Serge Melesan

Usa, Alaska. Humpback whales jumping and breaching

A humpback whale shows its flukes and a waterfall as it sounds

This whale shows off its unusually light colored fluke near Point Adolphus, Alaska

Canada, British Columbia, Great Bear Rainforest. Humpback whale tail

Whaling off the Cape of Good Hope (colour litho)
1547360 Whaling off the Cape of Good Hope (colour litho) by Lebreton, Louis (1818-66) (after); Private Collection

A huge cetacean stranded on the beach of Massa, the great efforts to drag it ashore (colour litho)
2815150 A huge cetacean stranded on the beach of Massa, the great efforts to drag it ashore (colour litho) by Beltrame, Achille (1871-1945); Private Collection; (add.info)

Bowhead whale, Balaena mysticetus, beached on the shore. 1807 (aquatint)
7237461 Bowhead whale, Balaena mysticetus, beached on the shore. 1807 (aquatint) by Daniell, William (1769-1837); Private Collection; (add.info.: Bowhead whale, Balaena mysticetus)

Special-Purpose Ships (litho)
7184090 Special-Purpose Ships (litho) by McDowell, William John Patton (1889-1950); Private Collection; (add.info.: Special-Purpose Ships)

"The Whispering Rocks"illustration from The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, 1922
7214618 " The Whispering Rocks" illustration from The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, 1922 by Lofting, Hugh (1886-1947); (add.info)

Jahangir Shooting the Head of Malik Ambar, early 17th century (opaque w / c, ink & gold on paper)
3742877 Jahangir Shooting the Head of Malik Ambar, early 17th century (opaque w/c, ink & gold on paper) by Hasan, Abu l (fl.1605-27); 38x26 cm; Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution

Stories from Lucian: The great fish (colour litho)
7180971 Stories from Lucian: The great fish (colour litho) by Murray, Charles Oliver (1842-1923); Private Collection; (add.info.: The great fish)

"Working away with their noses against the end of the island"illustration from The Voyages of Doctor
7214617 " Working away with their noses against the end of the island" illustration from The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, 1922 by Lofting

Aventures de Simbad de Marin: Simbad et la Baleine, 1924 (oil on panel)
6040418 Aventures de Simbad de Marin: Simbad et la Baleine, 1924 (oil on panel) by Sert, Jose Maria (1874-1945); 271x243x6 cm; San Diego Museum of Art

Aventures de Simbad de Marin, 1924 (oil and gold leaf on panel)
6040417 Aventures de Simbad de Marin, 1924 (oil and gold leaf on panel) by Sert, Jose Maria (1874-1945); 272x518 cm; San Diego Museum of Art

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A majestic sight unfolds as a humpback whale leaps from the calm waters of Lynn Canal in Alaska's Inside Passage, near Juneau. The Herbert Glacier and snowcapped mountains of the Coastal Range provide a breathtaking backdrop to this incredible display of nature's beauty. This particular humpback whale, known scientifically as Megaptera novaengliae, showcases its immense power and grace as it breaches the surface. In another part of the world, off the coast of Vava'u in Tonga's South Pacific, a male calf finds solace with his mother and an escort whale. These gentle giants create a serene scene amidst turquoise waters, reminding us of their strong family bonds. Even in far-flung locations like Shetland, Scotland and Puerto Lopez, two humpback whales breach simultaneously with synchronized precision. Their acrobatic displays leave onlookers in awe while highlighting their playful nature. The side view captures the sheer size and magnificence of these creatures - Megaptera novaeangliae - as they glide just beneath the surface off Shetland. In Hout Bay, South Africa, one can witness yet another breathtaking moment when a humpback whale breaches against a picturesque coastal landscape. Closer to home in Alaska's Inside Passage again but with an unexpected twist – a humpback whale dives alongside Disney Cruise Line ship creating unforgettable memories for all onboard. Not only do these magnificent creatures captivate us on their own but also share moments with other beings; surfers find themselves sharing waves with a humpback whale that gracefully swims nearby without disturbing them. From aerial views capturing female whales swimming alongside their calves to encounters around the globe showcasing their unique behaviors – breaching or diving – each sighting reminds us why we must cherish and protect these incredible creatures that roam our oceans: The Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae).