After blowing at the surface, whales round out and then lift their tail flukes to sound or dive. All cetacean species have differently shaped and patterned tail flukes but all are individual. The underside of humpback whale tail flukes have black and white markings – these are as unique per individual as our fingerprints.
Here are some whale tails!
Sperm whale flukes, with individual scalloping on the trailing edge, this whale can be told apart from other animals.
The white underside of this humpback whales flukes are tis whales’ fingerprints!
These are the unique tail flukes of a 22 metre long pygmy blue whale. With unique scalloping and holes on the trailing edge as well as the pale grey dusting, only this whale looks like this! Amazing!
This yearling humpback whale twisted and rolled continuously at the surface. Due to the unique nature of this tail fluke and the age of the animal, we know we do not have this is our catalogue but sadly we also won’t be looking for it. We determined that this young humpback whale was most likely blind and deaf. A very sad situation, but for the good of this desperate little whale we hoped that it did not survive the night… the cycle of life.
In praise of pygmy blue whales! These tail flukes are 7 m across!
Pygmy blue whale flukes, so beautiful!
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