THE SOUTH PACIFIC HUMPBACK MIGRATION

Rurutu, French Polynesia. 2018-2023.

Every year from August to November, thousands of humpback whales migrate from their feeding grounds in Antarctica to the warm shallows of the South Pacific to give birth, raise their calves, and mate.

Located in the isolated Austral Archipelago in southern French Polynesia, the island of Rurutu is blessed with crystal clear waters and fringing reefs that transform into a winter haven for several dozen humpback whales. For the past three years, I’ve documented this migration in Rurutu (2019-2021).

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