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 @PaulNicklen In the warm waters off the coast of Tonga in the South Pacific, I lingered near this mother and her calf for over an hour before I even attempted my first free dive down to her. It was only once I was 40 feet deep that I started to inch forward, all the while monitoring her behavior, waiting to see if she'd accepted me in her space. These whales have exceptional buoyancy control, but they do move their pectoral flukes on occasion to counter the current or the swell or to make room for their calves. In this case, I could not tell if she was moving her pectoral fluke to adjust for one of these things or if she was using her pec to measure my distance. Regardless, when it comes to wildlife I always err on the side of caution. No picture is worth the disturbance of an animal. I moved slowly away from the mother and calf and then floated to the surface without kicking. The thing that I am most proud of when I am with wildlife is when I leave them where I found them. I have spent a lifetime in the company of wildlife, and it never feels good to affect their behavior. Follow me @PaulNicklen for more stories about my experiences and encounters with whales all around the world. This photo was taken under a Special Interaction Permit (Regulation 13) from the Ministry of Tonga. #TurningTheTide #Whale #Respect #Motherhood #Nature」7月20日 15時39分