Spotting killer whales in the misty polar water, Audun grabbed his equipment and hurried to his boat. Without a light to set the focus – in the rush, he’d forgotten his torch – and with ice crystals freezing to his beard, Audun followed the sound of the whales’ blows for six freezing hours before capturing this ethereal moment.
Thought to be the most widespread mammal after humans, killer whale populations vary significantly in appearance, behaviour, prey choice and communication. Differences are so clear that distinct groups in the same region do not even interact with each other. These different populations may soon be split into several new species or subspecies.
Norway
Audun is a photographer and full-time professor of biology at the Arctic University of Norway. Growing up in a small fishing community in northern Norway, he developed a lifelong fascination with the Arctic's rough landscape, culture and wildlife, both above and below the ocean's surface. He uses his fieldwork photography to inspire his students and to draw attention to the science.
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