Photo credit: Kate Cummings via GrindTV.com
When you think humpback whale, what comes to your mind?
Elegance, grace, power…
These are very accurate descriptions but the elegance and grace disappear when two males duke it out over a female.
Then, you’re dealing with power, rage and testosterone… a very lethal combination.
Kate Cummings, an excellent photographer and naturalist who runs Blue Ocean Whale Watch, was participating in a Maui based whale watching tour when she captured these amazing images of two 30-40 ton male humpback whales fighting to establish dominance.
Photo credit: Kate Cummings Photography
Photo credit: Kate Cummings Photography
Photo credit: Kate Cummings Photography
You can tell by the bloodied tubercles that this was the real deal – an aggressive display of dominance to determine who would get the girl.
As breeding season in Hawaiian waters draws to a close, these duals are not uncommon but having a talented photographer witnessing, capturing and sharing these images with the world doesn’t happen everyday.
Kudos to Kate for her photography skills and sharing these pictures that remind us it’s a whale eat whale world out there.
Visit GrindTV more information on the story or Kate Cummings Photography for more images by Kate.