Untamed Americas: Coasts Pictures
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Sky of Birds
Like change? Then head down to the coastline, that narrow strip of land that borders the sea along a continent or an island. The nonstop change in tides, the freezing and thawing of ice, and constant wave action there means nothing ever stays the same. Breakers gnaw away at cliffs, shift sand to and fro, breach barriers, build walls, and sculpt bays.
Glaciers, rivers, and streams deliver a steady supply of building material for nature's unending job. And not to be outdone, the tectonic forces that move giant pieces of Earth's crust will periodically bump the bedrock here and squeeze fresh lava out there, adding their own flourish to the coastal redesign.
At the frozen poles or the sultry tropics, the coasts of the Americas host some of the greatest spectacles on earth. Against a brilliantly colored sunset, birds of Paracas flying along the coast in Peru.
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Ice Hopping
Polar Bears in the Canadian Arctic hunt seals on these waters. They wait for the ice to freeze to hunt - for mother and cubs, it means avoiding testy males.
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Underwater Acrobat
A polar bear (Ursus maritimus) spins and twirls underwater. Polar bears are very strong swimmers, and their large front paws, which they use to paddle, are slightly webbed. Some polar bears have been seen swimming hundreds of miles from land—though they probably cover most of that distance by floating on sheets of ice.
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A Polar Bear Family Portrait
Female Polar Bears den by digging into deep snow drifts, which provide protection and insulation from the Arctic elements. They give birth in winter, usually to twins. Young cubs live with their mothers for some 28 months to learn the survival skills of the far north. Females aggressively protect their young, but receive no help from their solitary male mates.
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pensive polar bear
A Polar Bear's favorite meal is a nice, fat seal. In search of this quarry they frequent areas of shifting, cracking ice where seals may surface to breathe air. They also stalk ice edges and breathing holes.
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Sea Lion Paradise
The Peruvian coast of South America is a sea lion paradise. The sea lion's ancient ancestors, like those of whales and dolphins, lived on land. The modern animal is well adapted to an aquatic environment, with its streamlined body and powerful flippers. Sea lions also boast thick layers of blubber to insulate their bodies from the chill of marine waters.
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On the Rampage
Rowdy male Peruvian sea lions are on the rampage...looking for mates. The richest fishery in the world supports an abundance of sea life-sustaining one of the largest colonies of sea lions on earth. During the breeding season, the beaches here are virtually packed. While one mom is out hunting, her week-old son must survive dangerous marauding male sea lions. Testosterone driven males are a violent bunch... 250lbs males attack and kill other neighboring pups. When attention turns to our young sea lion, he fights back and saves himself.
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Water Glider
A Mobula Ray (Mobula munkiana) flaps gracefully through the water off the coast of Baja in Mexico. Groups of Mobula Rays as large as the ones filmed for Untamed Americas are extremely rare. With a 10-foot wingspan, the mobulas leap from the water and twist through the air in a remarkable show of acrobatics.
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dolphin intimate moment
In a rare and intimate moment, Spinner Dolphins (Stenella longirostris) mate while floating in sync. Spinner dolphins are some of the most numerous, and boisterous of dolphins. They get their name from their acrobatic leaps and spins above the surface.
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jellyfish float
When conditions are right, a spectacular bloom of sea nettle jellyfish fills the Pacific waters off the coast of Monterey Bay, California. Jellyfish have drifted along on ocean currents for millions of years, even before dinosaurs lived on the Earth. They are abundant in cold and warm ocean water, in deep water, and along coastlines. Jellyfish have tiny stinging cells in their tentacles to stun or paralyze their prey before they eat them.
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The Red Devil
The Humboldt Squid, also known as the Red Devil, can weigh up to 100 pounds. Ten limbs lined with hooks and suction cups drag victims to a raptor-like beak.
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humboldt squid
Humboldt squid are large predators native to the deep waters of the Humboldt current, which flows northwest from Tierra del Fuego to the northern coast of Peru. The species range of the Humboldt squid, however, has expanded as far north as the U.S. state of Alaska. Both the Humboldt squid and the Humboldt current are named after Alexander von Humboldt, a German geographer who explored Central and South America in the 18th and 19th centuries.
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Peruvian Pelican
A pelican flies in Punta San Juan, Peru. These large birds use their elastic pouches to catch fish—though different species use it in different ways. Pelicans are found on many of the world's coastlines and also along lakes and rivers. They are social birds and typically travel in flocks, often strung out in a line. They also breed in groups called colonies, which typically gather on islands.
