Target practice. This is Freyja, the oldest known and most studied harbor porpoise in the world (Fokoina Fokoina). She has lived at Fjord & Bælt, a research facility in Kerteminde, Denmark, since 1997, after becoming caught in a fishing net and deemed unreleaseable. Freya is participating in non-invasive experiments that help researchers understand how porpoises use echolocation to hunt and how underwater noise affects their ability to forage for food. Here, her eyes are gently covered with suction cups while she is asked to distinguish between two underwater targets using echolocation. A device on her back records her vocal responses. This image is part of a series by nature photographer Lana Tanner Highly praised entry In this year’s Nature Photographer of the Year competition – see below for a selection of other winning and commended entries.
Lana Tanner/NPOTY 2025