Activity Three - Blue Whale

Studying and Identifying Whales

Background:

An important part of protecting species is being able to track and count them. Knowing how many there are in a given area and being able to tell one animal from another can help determine if a population need special protection.  These factors are also considered when determining what status a species is to be listed at under the Species at Risk Act.

Scientists have developed various ways to count and keep track of species.  This activity will explore how scientists can tell one whale from another even when their markings make them look very similar.  This is useful when scientists need to track a particular whale and is important when counting whales to make sure you don't count the same one twice.

Every whale is unique.  Like human beings they have certain characteristics that make them different from one another.  In blue whales and killer whales the dorsal fin and body markings are used to help tell one whale from another.  With humpback whales, scientists use the light and dark patterns under the whales' tail flukes. Like thumbprints, no two humpback flukes are the same.

What you will need:

For Dorsal fin identification

• Blue whale dorsal fin images from the SARA website or backline images from the Education Kit material provided

For Fluke Identification:

• Humpback fluke photographs from the SARA web site or the black and white fluke photos from the Education Kit material provided by your teacher

Other:

• Scissors
• Plastic bags or envelopes to store fluke and dorsal fin mages

Let's get started!

• Take two copies of the dorsal fin page and two copies of the fluke page (if you are using the internet, follow the instructions on the web site at www.aquaticspeciesatrisk.gc.ca).
• Put one of each page aside and cut the other up so that you have nine separate fluke images and nine separate dorsal fin images. Make sure the whales' names are cut off the nine separate images to be matched.
• Glue the cut images to a card stock or laminate them to make them last longer.
• Take each separate fluke or dorsal fin image and try to match it to the main page.
• Store the sheets and cut images in a plastic bag for future use.

Talk about it!

1. How many did you match correctly?
2. Was it difficult?