In this photograph by Aoraki Mount Cook Alpine Village, we see the dark blue bottom of an iceberg in the terminal lake of New Zealand’s largest glacier, the Tasman Glacier.
According to dr_glaciology, the ice is so blue because it was near the bed of the glacier and thus under a lot of pressure from the overlying ice. The pressure means the ice lacks pockets of air, giving it the dark blue hue.
In this jaw-dropping photograph we see glacial waterfalls cascading into the sea. The photo was taken on or near Spitsbergen, the largest and only permanently populated island of the Svalbard archipelago in Norway. Svalbard represents the northernmost part of Norway, located about midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole.
On Earth, 99% of glacial ice is contained within vast ice sheets in the polar regions. Glacial ice is the largest reservoir of freshwater on Earth, supporting one-third of the world’s population. Many glaciers store water during one season and release it later as meltwater, a water source that is especially important for plants, animals and human uses when other sources may be scant. [Source]
Because glacial mass is affected by long-term climate changes, e.g., precipitation, mean temperature, and cloud cover, glacial mass changes are considered among the most sensitive indicators of climate change and are a major source of variations in sea level. [Source]
KEENPRESS Productions is the US – Denmark based partnership of Sisse Brimberg and Cotton Coulson, two highly experienced photographers and filmmakers who have also been partners in marriage for 30+ years. They work as a team on corporate, editorial, and personal projects. Their work is centered around real people, lifestyle, and contemporary environmental issues telling compelling stories through HD video and photographs. See more at keenpress.com
In this beautiful capture by Rennett Stowe we see two Orcas surfacing as they make their way through a fjord in Alaska. In the distance a massive glacier can be seen.
The killer whale (Orcinus orca), also referred to as the orca whale or orca, is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family. Killer whales are found in all oceans, from the Arctic and Antarctic regions to tropical seas. Killer whales as a species have a diverse diet, although individual populations often specialize in particular types of prey. Some feed exclusively on fish, while others hunt marine mammals such as sea lions, seals, walruses, and even large whales. Killer whales are regarded as apex predators, meaning they lack any natural predators. [Source]
*Update: After some feedback from Calvin H., Bob T. and Michael M. on Facebook, it’s quite clear this is a photoshopped image. If you look at the max resolution on Flickr it’s not a very good one either. Apologies to all for the slip up, and thanks to our astute readers for the heads up!
The Berg Glacier feeds into Berg lake, which is located on the Robson River and within Mount Robson Provincial Park in the Canadian Rockies. The lake and glacier are at the doorstep of the north face of Mount Robson (3,954m/12,972ft) which is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies.
Both glacier and lake can be accessed via the 19km Berg Lake Trail. Greater detail about the trail and how to get to Berg lake can be found here. For you Google Earthers, you can punch in the following coordinates to check out the Glacier: 53°07’00”N, 119°08’00”W (just scroll a bit north to see where it feeds into the lake).
