National Geographic Channel will exclusively air the world’s first footage of Humpback whales mating this Sunday.� You can also see the historic images captured by photographer Jason Edwards alongside stunning wildlife portraits at a new exhibition at Auckland Museum and best of all, it’s free.


Image: ©Brett Phibbs, Little Blue

Melbourne based photojournalist Jason Edwards is the face of National Geographic Channel’s Pure Photography, a series of natural history vignettes chronicling his photographic assignments documenting the natural world.� He also recently achieved a world first by capturing the mating ritual of the Humpback whale. �

Following a female Humpback whale’s heat run in Pacific Ocean waters off the Kingdom of Tonga during spring, Mr. Edwards and a research crew were the first in the world to capture the critical moment when the courting ritual reached its peak in a brief but tender mating.

“It was amazing. There were four/five males vying for her attention and while the larger ones were busy jostling each other, the smallest one swam away with the female to mate. Their coupling lasted less than 30 seconds, which might explain why it’s never been captured on film before,” Mr. Edwards said.

“When we came upon the heat run, it was the last day of my shoot. I didn’t have a single frame of these animals from the whole trip. All I kept thinking was ‘don’t mess it up’. I was just supremely lucky to even be there, let alone capture this incredibly intimate moment on camera,” he added.

An exhibition of Mr. Edwards’ still photographs of the mating whales opens at the Auckland Museum�alongside the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibit from this weekend.�

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition is a showcase of the best wildlife imagery from around the world.� London’s Natural History Museum and BBC Wildlife magazine curated the exhibition from more than 40,000 entries across 95 countries. �


Image: © Martin Cooper, Canada On the tracks of a coyote

To walk through the exhibition, held in the museum's Special Exhibtion Hall, is to weave amongst a maze of some of the world’s living wonders, and bear witness to how our changing world has impacted on animals in the wild, and how urbanisation has forced many out of their natural envrionments.

This heart melting image depicts the adorable golden snub-nosed trying to stay warm in the Qinling mountains of China.� There are estimated to be only 4000 Qinling golden snub-nosed monkeys remaining. �The Qinling monkey is at risk of extinction from habitat loss due to deforestation.


Image: © Cyril Ruoso, France Tiny warm-up

As well as Jason Edwards’ historic images of mating humpback whales, photographer Marc McCormack's work is showcased in two stunning portraits of of Migaloo (Aborigine for “white fella”), the world’s only albino humpback whale.

Mr. Edwards himself described the photographic collection as one of “the best displays I’ve ever seen” and the iconic Auckland War Memorial Museum as a “beautiful venue, beautifully kept.”

The NZ-Life: New Zealand Geographic Award Winning Photography 2009-2011 sits alongside the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibit and highlights the work of some of New Zealand’s best photographers, with a variety of images that are challenging, moving, funny, inspiring and above all, make you feel proud and privileged to call New Zealand home. �

The art of photography is not just a matter of being in the right place at the right time. �Photographers can spend hours, or even days or weeks waiting for the individual elements of light, subject and atmosphere to coalesce into creating one perfect image.��

Jason Hosking waited for days for the opportune moment to capture the magnificence of our most famous native songbird in his work Tui Rising.

Image: © Jason Hosking, Tui rising

Photographer Jocelen Janon, originally from France, sums up New Zealand’s multi-cultural diversity in his work depicting a local Croatian dancing group.� Janon expresses his appreciation for his adopted homeland, and his awe at being involved in living history, the evolution of New Zealand.

“Even now I feel as though I am witnessing, and documenting, the making of a country." Janon remarks in his description of his award-winning photo.

Find out how to enter for next year’s photographer of the year.


Image: © David Lloyd, New Zealand In the flick of a tail

Footage of the Humpback whale mating, shot by marine wildlife consultant David Donnelly, will debut on alongside Mr. Edwards’ images on National Geographic Channel this Sunday.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition runs from June 22 – August 26. The NZ-Life: New Zealand Geographic Award Winning Photography 2009-2011 exhibitions runs from June 22 – October 22.�

Auckland War Memorial Museum is open 10am – 5pm everyday and entry is free to both displays.

Footage and images of the Humpback whale mating airs on National Geographic Channel, Sunday 24 June at 7.30pm.