This photo shows the tail fin of a humpback, photographed in the bay of Husavik in Iceland.
The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), also called the humpback whale, is a marine mammal from the suborder of the baleen whales (Mysticeti). It is a relatively large whale, which distinguishes itself from other whales by its long pectoral fins, its stocky body and the nodules on its beak and lower jaw. Adult humpbacks vary in length from 12 to 16 meters and weigh about 25 to 30 tons.
The humpback is known for the song that the males sing during the mating season and that can last for days. Humpbacks are popular with whale spotters and tourists for their spectacular displays on the surface of the water; they hit the water with their large pectoral fins and make jumps, sometimes completely above the water surface. Humpback whales have a large number of inventive hunting techniques in which they often work closely together with their peers. Humpback populations travel thousands of kilometres each year as they migrate from the cold, nutrient-rich polar regions to warmer waters for mating and calving.
Sam Mannaerts is a nature photographer from East Flanders, more specifically Steendorp.
He photographs almost everything that has to do with nature. From butterflies to majestic landscapes, but also wildlife like bears, birds, etc.
He has a predilection for the High North...
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