ナショナルジオグラフィックさんのインスタグラム写真 - (ナショナルジオグラフィックInstagram)「Photo by @brianskerry | A sperm whale calf nurses from its mother in the waters of the eastern Caribbean Sea. I was working with whale scientist Shane Gero, who, after seeing this image, exclaimed: “There’s an old saying in the whale biology world. Someday we’ll know everything about whales, except how a sperm whale calf nurses. But now we know!" Evidently, researchers had been unable to determine exactly how this behavior was achieved. But as we see in this photograph, the calf actually inserts its lower jaw into the mammary opening in order to nurse. Spending time with these animals remains one of my most memorable experiences. Despite a reputation throughout history of being an aggressive monster, sperm whales are quite the opposite. They are gentle, highly social, and place great value on family. For me, the combination of spending time with the whales and learning from researchers who have dedicated their lives to understanding these whale societies has been illuminating. The sea does not easily reveal her mysteries, and animals like sperm whales that spend most of their lives in the deep ocean are a challenge to study. But with time and patience, secrets are uncovered. Follow @BrianSkerry to see more special moments from nature. #whales #spermwhales #caribbean #secrets #momandbaby」6月23日 21時37分