〔소중한 지구〕 고래를 사냥한 고래…카메라가 건져 올린 바다 동물의 세계

In a remarkable display of nature's complexity, a photograph capturing the collaborative hunt of a pod of sperm whales in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico has been named one of the finalists for "Ocean Photographer of the Year." According to oceanographer and photographer Wil Harrison, these images go beyond merely capturing the scenes beneath the surface, they bring to the surface the most pressing stories about our planet.

The photographers, judged by the magazine Oceanographic and the newspaper Blanpan, competed in nine categories: ocean conservation, ocean adventure, marine wildlife, among others. Some highlights include a picture of a humpback whale pod in the Gulf of Mexico, where they successfully hunted and shared the catch with other species like the short-fin mako shark. Another image shows male horseshoe crabs protecting female horseshoe crabs from predators during mating season, demonstrating their protective behavior.

A fourth photograph depicts a young right whale calf taking its first deep dive into open ocean waters after being weaned, a crucial step in their adaptation to life in the open ocean. A sixth image captures a male dugong releasing its newborn calf, a process that requires significant energy from the male dugong who rarely eats during the entire process.

The final photograph shows surfers and whales playing together off the beach of Sydney, symbolizing the harmonious relationship between humans and wild animals in shared ocean spaces.