Whale Identification

Just like humans, every whale in the Salish Sea has unique characteristics that can help us tell them apart. Over the years we’ve come to know local whales like family and recognize many of them by sight. On most tours, your PWWA guide should be able to tell you not just what type of whale you’re watching, but which individual whale you’re watching. We often can tell you when they were born, who their family is, and where they travel to when not in and around the Salish Sea. Each whale has their own personality and we love to share their stories with our visitors. We believe that when people appreciate whales as unique individuals, they work even harder to protect them.

Killer Whales

Killer whales can be identified by nicks on their dorsal fins, markings on their backs called “saddle patches”, and even the white patches near their eyes. When it comes to documenting and identifying mammal-eating Bigg’s killer whales, PWWA crew members collaborate with local researchers using the online tool Finwave.

HUMPBACK WHALES

Humpback whales are identified primarily by their tail flukes. Just like a fingerprint, no two humpback whale tails are exactly alike. Our captains and naturalists utilize catalogs published by Humpback Whales of the Salish Sea and the Marine Education and Research Society to identify local humpbacks. We also submit use a free tool called Happywhale which not only helps identify individual whales, but tracks their travel patterns and allows us to learn more about each individual whale’s behavior and social relationships.

Gray Whales

Gray whales can be identified by the markings on their sides and tails. While these markings can change over time, they usually remain consistent enough to allow for matching over long periods of time. Cascadia Research Collective is the research group responsible for cataloging gray whales.

MINKE WHALES

Minke whales are identified primarily by their dorsal fins and other markings on their body. While minke whales can be hard to differentiate from a distance, if you look carefully, you can usually spot small differences between individuals.