Artist: Tom Bergman

Humpback whales compete with brown bears as being the most popular, 'must-see' mammal in Glacier Bay. This particular humpback whale is a calf, and it is doing what we photographers always like to see: breaching, where the whale jumps straight out of the water. No one really knows why whales breach…it may serve as a signal to other whales, it may help them shed dead skin and parasites, and in some cases it may indicate disturbance. Others believe that the whales find some enjoyment in breaching, and do it for fun.