New
Humpback Whales of the Gulf of Maine (by Year)
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Trident's
2000 calf was named "Lighthouse" for the marking
on the left fluke. Names help scientists easily distinguish
and refer to whales in the field.
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The
Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is supporting efforts
to identify and catalog new whales in the Western Gulf of Maine.
We are particularly interested in the familial relationship between
mothers and calves and length of stay in thefeeding grounds, including
Stellwagen Bank and Jeffreys Ledge. To that end, the Sanctuary
provides funding for the annual Humpback Whale Naming Workshop,
which allows researchers and naturalists the opportunity to select
common names for these cetaceans. These common names make it easier
for the researchers to recognize and refer to specific whales
(when talking amongst themselves or to whale watch enthusiasts).
The majority of new sightings in the Stellwagen Bank area are
made via the whale watch vessels that regularly visit the Sanctuary
and offer platforms for scientific study.
The
rules of whale naming are simple:
the
name must be short;
it should be descriptive about the whale's fluke pattern, body
scars or other identifiable feature;
it cannot be gender specific;
it cannot be a person's name;
it cannot duplicate another name on the list.
Images
of the new whales' tails are offered by year. New whales are listed
in alphabetical order. New calves are listed in order of the respective
mother's name.
1999
Whales
2000
Whales
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) - please view our