Sperm whale diving. - a photo on Flickriver

            Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) have wrinkly skin and a large rather square head that makes up around one third of their body length. Females are smaller than males and have a proportionately smaller head.
They are purplish-brown or dark grey in colour, with white underneath. The dorsal fin has been reduced to a low hump and there is only one, slit-like blowhole, situated on the top left side of the snout.
Their angled, bushy blows make them easy to spot even though they rarely show much more above the surface.
    Newborn: length 3.5-4.5 m
    Adult: length 11-18 m
These animals are widespread around the world, but have a patchy distribution. They prefer deep water (>200m) and so are usually found offshore and in areas with submarine canyons, such as Kaikoura, where sperm whales are present all year round.
They generally move towards the poles in summer, males more so than females and juveniles. Females usually inhabit water deeper than 1000 m at latitudes less than 40-50°. Male distribution extends to more temperate latitudes.
Kaikoura is home to the main New Zealand population of sperm whales, including both resident and transient individuals. It appears that there is no other area in the world where this species is routinely found so close to the coast

   

Taken in: New Zealand / Canterbury / Kaikoura (show map)

Taken on: May 29, 2009

Tags:

Fluke

Sperm Whale

Whale watch Kaikoura

Marine life

Public Domain Dedication (CC0)

free photos « less

Groups appears in: • Marine Mammals • All Animals more » • Marine Life • Nature and Wildlife Best • Nature Photography • Animals Go Free (Ban Canned Hunting) • LIFE! ❤ Nature*Moments*Emotion*FUN • #1 Nature & Wildlife Photographers' Corner • Beauty - Nature's full of it • Nature, wildlife, and the great outdoors • FAUNA | all animals! • all wild life photos and your pet photos • Animals A to Z • Animals (All Kinds) • Flickr - Nature & Wildlife Showcase (no invites) • Nature...Anything Goes • NATURE'S BEST • Animals All Around! • Earth Touch: Wildlife on the Web • Nature & wildlife ! • Digital Wildlife Photography • *** Animals of the World *** (Post 1-Comment 1) • Nature's Pot-of-Gold • GO OUTSIDE: Scenic, Wildlife, Nature, Travel, People, Fashion a • All Animals and Nature • Whale Watching • Capture Nature / No human elements / No Zoo shots or people in y • "Croque NATURE" • *NATURES BEAUTY* • NatureLovers • A1 BIRDS AND WILDLIFE • Ocean life plus beaches • Animals and Wildlife • National Geographic Wild Life • Natural world / Wildlife • Birds♥ Wildlife♥ & Sunsets♥ • Natural Landscape & Wildlife Photos • *WE LOVE ANIMALS* • Birds and Wildlife Only!!! • * Animals in the Wild * • Animal Wildlife ~ Flickr Photos & Videos • Wildlife & Nature Group • Animals + nature • Natur----exklusiv----nature #1 • Mordus de photos Nature • *Earth *Nature *Life • close to nature group • Just Geo-tagged flowers and wildlife • Places to Watch Wildlife • [][][]Nature.. Light and Color[][][] • F-Stop - Nature, Landscape & Wildlife • La passion de la Nature • Nature/Wildlife • Nature, Scenery and Wildlife • Amateur Wildlife and Nature • WILDLIFE & NATURE ONLY ~ No Limits Just Wildlife. • Amazing Wildlife Photos ***No Rules, No Banning, No Sweepers*** • Animales & Naturaleza. Animals & Nature. Animais e Natureza. • Animals photo • Animals and Nature (NO LIMITS) • Nature's Gallery - No 30/60 Limit • Animals of all shapes and sizes • Nature For All: Flora & Fauna • All Wildlife Photography • Birds, Insects, Animals and Wildlife • Nature and Wildlife! • Birds and Animals Photography • Nature of Wildlife • EXPLORE *** NATURE THE WILD NATURE *** • Inside Wildlife Magazine • Animals! Animals! Animals? • lovely animal group • ♣Mother Nature!! • Animals (all) • Nature, Wildlife, Landscape • "Wildlife Photography" • Great Nature Shots • Animals Universe • Interesting Wildlife • Spectacular Photos of Nature and Wildlife • All pictures Nature surrounding (No 30/60 limit) • Fée NATURE • (W.A.S.P) Wildlife Appreciation Society of Photography • Nature photo passion • Nature of the World (No Limit) • The Habitat: Nature Photography • We love Nature and Geology • All Animal Picture Show • !*Natures Beauty*! • Mira al Pajarito, nature photography • I ♥ Nature ╰⊰⊹✿ - Closed for a while • Nature - The Beauty of Nature • Nature & Animaux (Nature & Animals) • TERRE NATURE • Nature Aesthetics - Natur Ästhetik - esthétique de la nature • Interesting Nature • Nature Shoot All the World/ No flowers Wild animal only • Universart ECO arts /Wild nature//Ecologia/Moderated • Nature Photos HD • Nature Traditions • Nature and Its Inhabitants are Beautiful • Incredible World Wildlife & Nature • *** Nature, Animal, Landscape *** • Nature and Wonder • We love Nature!!! « less

Camera: Sony DSLR-A300, f/6.3, 1/640 sec, 210mm (=315mm), ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Sony DSLR-A300
Aperture:	f/6.3
Exposure Time:	0.002 sec (1/640)
Focal Length:	210mm (35mm equivalent: 315mm)
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Spot
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CS6 (Windows)
Show full info

Stats: 11,052 views / 10 comments

go back