Feeding Time

A humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) takes a gulp of water and fish, while tiny sandlances jump out of its mouth. The sandlance, commonly known as a “sand eel,” is a stick-like fish that is prime target for hungry humpbacks who come to Stellwagen Bank (off Massachusetts) in the summer. Researchers have been studying the many strands and layers of the food web on the Bank to try to understand why it is such a productive feeding ground. (Photo by Melissa Patrician, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)