At first, the scene looked almost impossible to interpret. A giant blue whale was moving through open water off Western Australia. Around it, a few orcas appeared small enough to […]
At first glance, nothing seems wrong. A few orcas move quietly through the cold waters of Prince William Sound, Alaska. Behind them, dark forested mountains disappear into low clouds. The […]
The mother was not gone. That was what made the scene so difficult to watch. She was still visible in the deeper water ahead, surfacing slowly as she moved along […]
The mother was close enough to see. Every time the young orca surfaced inside the small rocky cove, the dark curve of the adult’s back appeared beyond the narrow entrance. […]
The young orca could see the way out. Beyond a narrow rocky channel, darker water opened toward the inlet and, eventually, the Pacific Ocean. She could swim. She could breathe. […]
The young humpback lay almost motionless in water that was far too shallow for it to swim. A thin layer of seawater covered part of its enormous body, but sections […]
The mother tried to move again. Her massive body shifted against the shallow water, stirring pale sand beneath her. A short sweep of the tail sent ripples across the bank, […]
The young humpback pushed toward the surface, but the dark mesh tightened around its body. Each movement produced the same cruel result. The calf gained a little water, lifted its […]
The newborn calf slipped beneath the surface almost as soon as its body lost the strength to swim. Its mother turned back. She lowered her head beneath the small body, […]
A dead silver fish floated between the side of a small boat and the black head of a wild orca. Nothing stopped the whale from taking it back. One quick […]