shari - 2-12-2007 at 05:59 PM
I was asked in another thread how we identify whales and if we name them. I have worked on Photo ID of whales since it's conception in the early
1980's both on orcas and gray whales. Depending on what country you are in we photograch the mid section right side of the whale, sorts of the hump
area and also use underneath tail shots as well. What we look at are the scars and the "knuckles" of the individual whale on gray whales and the
"saddle patch" marking on orcas. Gray whales have lots of scars from boats hitting them and scrapes with orcas and each "knuckle configuration is
different as well. The whales are recorded with number/letter combinations but when we are working in an area where we see the same whales all the
time like in a feeding ground or calving lagoon, yes we do name our favorites especially or ones who have signifigant markings. For example, I had a
very wonderful whale friend who would always hang out with me...she helped me out lots of times when the weather was extremely nasty and not fun for
the passengers...she would always come up and let us have a good look at her when we were hiding behind a rock to keep out of the wind. Her tail
looked like it was dipped on the edges in white paint so her name was "Dipper" and she was very easily identified. I'd know her anywhere. Another
favorite was "Rocky" who's head had so many barnacles she looked just like a rock and she had a funny way of just showing the top of her head and not
moving so you really did think she was a rock. Some gain fame for their characters like La Puchona who was very pushy and shoved boats out of the
way...Sirena was pretty scared of her as were most of us...she was nasty and played rough. Photo ID is very useful for lots of things. Through this
technique I learned that whale moms who have their calves within a few days form what I call a nursing group...a small group of moms and babes who
always hang out together which works as the calves mature at the same rate so they are learning the same things at the same time, plus the other
whales in the group can keep an eye on a calf when the mom is sleeping. We also are trying to find out if the same whales use the same birthing
lagoons or whether they go to different places. Of course the unbelievable story of a whale that was identified in California was ID'd soonafter in
the Gulf caused all kinds of speculation about an underground passage beneath upper baja. It is interesting to follow the movement of whales that have
been ID'd. One amazing whale that was very easy to ID had it's tail chopped off by a ship...this whale managed to swim all the way to Alaska!!! We
used to think tails were for propulsion??? Humback whales are ID'd by tail shots.