Chase Dekker / Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus), Monterey Bay, California

Juergen Freund / Slow motion aerial shot of a Pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) blowing / breathing at the surface before diving, Banda Sea, Indonesia.

Tony Wu / Pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) swimming in blue water, Sri Lanka, Indian Ocean.

Tony Wu / Pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) diving with pelagic fish (likely yellowfin tuna or similar open ocean predatory species) visible in the background, Sri Lanka, Indian Ocean.

Franco Banfi / Pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) subspecies of blue whale, Mirissa, Sri Lanka, Indian Ocean. Endangered species.

Franco Banfi / Pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) subspecies of blue whale, diving downwards, Mirissa, Sri Lanka, Indian Ocean. Endangered species.

Franco Banfi / Pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) subspecies of blue whale, diving down, Mirissa, Sri Lanka, Indian Ocean. Endangered species.

Franco Banfi / Pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) subspecies of blue whale, Mirissa, Sri Lanka, Indian Ocean. Endangered species.

Franco Banfi / Pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) subspecies of blue whale, Mirissa, Sri Lanka, Indian Ocean. Endangered species.

Richard Herrmann / Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) feeding on krill, Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico

Flip Nicklin / Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) fatally injured in collision with ship and subsequently found by research vessel, Santa Barbara Channel, California

Flip Nicklin / Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) surfacing, Santa Barbara Channel, California