Humpback Whale Identification

The humpback whale fluke is very broad and flat, ranging in size from 10 to 15 feet wide and capable of propelling the whale at over 15 miles per hour for short periods of time. Flukes normally have a serrated edge and a deep notch in the center called the median notch.

Each humpback’s tail fluke has a distinct black and white pigment pattern that allows researchers to identify an individual whale. Unique visual identification allows researchers detailed information on population, growth rates, and migration. Photographic catalogs of thousands of fluke identification pictures help scientists study the behavior of this incredible mammal.

SPLASH (Structure of Populations, Levels of Abundance and Status of Humpbacks) is an international effort involving more than 50 organizations. Launched in 2004, the project determined whale migratory patterns and estimated population sizes by using a library of photographs of whale flukes to identify 8,000 individual whales. By matching whale flukes photographed in their feeding areas with those photographed in the wintering areas, researchers were able to determine the patterns of individual whale movements, as well as estimate the size of populations.