Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

22nd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
A humpback whale feeding on anchovies

A humpback whale lunges through a school of anchovies trapped at the surface of Monterey Bay in California. Humpbacks are baleen whales and you can see the baleen structure hanging from its top jaw. After the lunge, the whale will close its mouth and force the water out, leaving the anchovies trapped by the baleen.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 06.2024
Date Uploaded: 09.2024
Photo Location: California, United States of America
Camera: NIKON Z 8
Copyright: © Douglas Croft