This distinction alone can help with identification. Dr Peter Stevick at Allied Whale has come up with some sub-types that can make the process of identification easier. To try to make this process somewhat easier, there are five basic types of whale flukes: 1. The last thing you see of him before he disappears into the depths is his fluke sticking straight up above the water. Photo courtesy of Paula Olson. Several thousands humpback individuals have been photo-identified by their fluke markings and have become part of catalogs of whales in the North Atlantic. 25% black. Fluke: Whale Watching Activity 2 Vocabulary (more information on the whale behavior chart) Blow: the spout that is a result of the whale taking a breath, on average adult humpbacks take a breath every 10-15 minutes but some can stay underwater as long as 45 minutes. © 2020 WILD SKY MEDIA. It is incredible to think that a single whale may have been photographed by different people, in different parts of the North Atlantic, often over a period of decades. Unlike fish, which have tails that move from side to side (vertically), the whale’s fluke moves up and down, or horizontally, in powerful strokes. With some luck, one might only have to look into one type- this would usually only occur in mostly white or black. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Some of our first Bermuda matches were to whales first sighted thirty years ago that hadn't been seen (or at least photographed and identified) since! Identification trailing edge curves downwards, fluke is raised high on a deep dive the underside of the tail can have white patches Fluking does not always occur; Fin and minke whales rarely expose their tail flukes upon diving. The development of flukes was the last step in the whale's evolution from land animal to water animal. A photograph of these markings provides a permanent identification (ID) record of an individual whale. The jagged edges along the back of the fluke, along with scars and other markings help identify a specific whale. In the context of the Humpback Whale Identification Challenge, such a model can then be used to crop images around the region of interest. Researchers can use the pictures of flukes to identify individual whales because each whale has unique flukes (similar to how people can be identified by their unique faces and fingerprints). Allied Whale at College of the Atlantic has a catalogue of some 7,000 individual North Atlantic humpback whale fluke identification photographs. Jackie Carroll has been a freelance writer since 1995. What Are the Important Body Features of Pink Dolphins? Flukes allow whales to travel further and move through water faster and with greater agility. So much diversity exists among whale species that some have only the most basic traits in common with others. The flukes' arteries and veins can manipulate blood flow to conserve or release heat. If it is matched, two Allied Whale staff have to confirm the match. Introduction to the Whale Kit How to use the Whale Kit Manual The activities in this Whale Kit expose students to numerous aspects of whale biology, evolution, ecology, and conservation, and students should be encouraged to read and research more about the lifestyles of whales. The fin whale is the second-largest animal in the world. It is still down to the human eye to make the judgement call. What Temperature of Water Do Dolphins Live In? Blue Whale fluking off Orange County California image by ADMIRAL BENBOW from Fotolia.com. Listen to the humpback whale This could corroborate my theory that the same whales are returning to Bermuda to aggregate, and may confirm the integrity of family or social units during the second half of their northward migratory crossing. Fin Whale: Balaenoptera Physalus. Located directly under each photo is a unique identification number for each whale. They are made up of dense, fibrous connective tissue surrounded by a network of arteries and veins. Each whale’s fluke (or tail) has unique, identifying markings and patterns, allowing it to serve as a type of fingerprint that is unique to that whale. Juneau Flukes: Home About Humpbacks Why Photo ID Juneau Catalog Whale Watching Naturalist Symposium Juneau Flukes is a research and education non-profit focused on Juneau-area humpback whales. In some whale species, flukes are so distinctive that researchers use them like fingerprints to identify individuals. Explain that when a humpback whale displays its flukes during a fluke up dive behavior, researchers can take pictures of the underside of the flukes. Each whale can be identified by the unique black and white pattern on the underside of the flukes. The names usually refer to marks on the fluke, but occasionally may refer to marks on another part of the body or relate to the mother’s name. Be Her Village. Often one can eliminate three types, and look through only two types. Identifying Individual Whales by their Flukes- YOU CAN NOW CHECK ALL OUR FLUKES ON OUR FLICKR SITE, Last Updated ( Wednesday, 06 June 2012 17:35 ). Sei whales occur in subtropical, temperate, and subpolar waters around the world. Sometimes they are dark, sometimes incomplete, often at an angle and not from directly behind, and sometimes the angle of the fluke is not vertical. By clicking on the fr logo above left you can access all our fluke IDs! First, you need to understand the anatomy of the flukes of a humpback whale. 2. Its sleek … Humpback Whale and Blue Whale: These two whales have a beautiful lobed shaped tail fluke that is rather large compared to others. Allied Whale at College of the Atlantic has a catalogue of some 7,000 individual North Atlantic humpback whale fluke identification photographs. VICTORIAN HUMPBACK WHALE FLUKE IDENTIFICATION CATALOGUE This document is the first and only identification catalogue for humpback whales in Victorian Waters and fills and important gap in the understanding of this species in the region. Each humpback whale can be identified by the unique black and white pattern on the underside of the flukes. Calves breath Knowing what to look for in a fluke is the key to identifying an individual whale. Can you identify a whale by the picture of its fluke? Humpback whale showing flukes. Guidelines for taking identification photographs of humpback whales Identifications photographs are of the ventral side (underside) of the tail flukes. The arching gives the whale a humpbacked appearance. Kick-feeding is similar to flick-feeding: The whale slaps its pray to move it toward his mouth. As he swims, he moves the fluke up and down like a paddle, pushing himself forward with each stroke. The humpback whale photo-identification (or photo-ID) project involves photographing and cataloging flukes, which are the underside of a humpback whale’s tail. Unlike fish, which have vertical tails, the whale's tail is on a horizontal plane when his body's upright. There has to be at least three points of matching identification. We have taken photographs and identified the flukes of over 200 individual North Atlantic humpback whales since this project began in January 2007. Founded in 1972 by Dr. Steven Katona and composed of faculty, senior researchers, research associates and students, Allied Whale has been instrumental in establishing research techniques that have been adopted world-wide including the photo-identification of humpbacks and is home of the North Atlantic Humpback Whale Catalogue, the YoNAH Catalogue, and the Antarctic Humpback Whale Catalogue. This could corroborate my theory that the same whales are returning to Bermuda to aggregate, and may confirm the integrity of family or social units during the second half of their northward migratory crossing. This gives us the identifying fluke photographs of some 350 individual North Atlantic humpback whales. Another role of flukes is body temperature control. Before this time, whales paddled around using two feet at the base of their spine. Blue whale lifting its tail flukes. What Kind of Adaptions Does a Dolphin Have? Empower Her. Now when we go out and photograph a fluke we can check within our own fluke catalogue to see if it is a whale that has been here before! Called fluking, this diving posture gives researchers a good look at the tail markings, which can be distinct enough to identify individual whales. What Kind of Dolphins Live in the Atlantic? None of this makes much sense until you see the diagrams below depicting these types and sub-types. Here are the five basic types and the various sub-types. When flick-feeding, a whale uses his fluke to direct a wave of small animals toward his mouth. A whale uses his flukes to propel himself forward in the water and the flippers at his sides to steer and brake. Photo-Identification . The fluke is smooth and black on southern right and sperm whales. When a large whale prepares for a deep dive, he arches his back, moving the central part of his body above water to get a better downward angle. Each color division contains pages of thumbnail photographs. Within this catalog the whale fluke photographs are grouped by color pattern beginning with the most white and ending with all black flukes. That’s pretty impressive. Flukes are the two lobes of the whale tail. We are still adding records from our archives and from new surveys. Blue Whale fluking off Orange County California image by ADMIRAL BENBOW from. Every fluke sighted is given an identification number. Shape The World. Whales also use their flukes to get food into their mouths. PART OF WILD SKY MEDIA | FAMILY & PARENTING, Whales Bermuda: Identifying Individual Whales. Sometimes one has to look through three types, especially if not 100% of the fluke can be seen. Photographs should be taken at a range where the identifying features and the trailing edge are clearly visible. A whale's tail is made of two lobes separated by a deep notch. 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