15th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
A Playful Risso's Dolphin

Risso's are not generally as playful as some of the other species of dolphins but this pod was different. They were surfing in the swell and leaping out of the waves with seeming abandon. We've seen Common and Pacific White-sided dolphins do this, but we'd never seen it with RIsso's!

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2017
Date Uploaded: 10.2017
Photo Location: Moss Landing, California, United States of America
Camera: NIKON D500
Copyright: © Douglas Croft