The Mothership

2017 // Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonga

A humpback whale is seen resting at the surface as her calf sticks close by her side in Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonga

This huge mother was gently resting at the surface as her calf kept nudging her to suckle. The calf can drink 500 liters of milk per day (yes PER DAY!) in order to gain enough weight to survive the long migration down the feeding grounds of the cold Antarctic ocean. As the mother doesn't feed at all at this time, she will conserve as much energy as possible. Each tubercle (bump) on the humpback whale contains one or two hairs called vibrissae which allow the whale to feel minute pressure waves in the water column.