Arnaud Farré
Up is Down
Humpback whale and her calf, Réunion Island, 2023
Category - Ocean
From June to October, large numbers of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) gather along the west coast of Réunion Island, especially in the Bay of Saint-Paul, to breed and give birth. Cap La Houssaye marks the southern limit of the bay and the starting point of the Marine Nature Reserve, consisting of 35 square kilometres of protected reefs. It is an ideal location for whale watching. Drone flights are prohibited inside the marine reserve without prior permission, but this mother and her calf were spotted just 200 metres from the beach, outside the boundary of the reserve. The mother is diving, followed by her calf, just before sunset. Only their flukes (tails) are visible as the pair begins their plunge to the depths, leaving behind a circular ring called a “fluke print”. This striking, rare scene illustrates the harmony that exists between these marine mammals and the ocean.
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8.38 mm f/2.8 Lens - 1/100 sec at f/2.8 ISO 400