Observation Journal Hum120 1
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/240668108
For this observation, I went whale watching with a friend. The whale in the photo is SEAK-2170 'Vendetta's' 2024 calf. There are about 30,000 documented individual humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Pacific, and ~250 whales in the Juneau Flukes catalog. Juneau is unique in that our subpopulation of humpback whales have become "local celebrities" almost for those who know their flukes and dorsal fins. Humpback whales are identifiable by the pigmentation on their flukes and by the shape of their dorsal fin. Photo-ID of individual humpback whales began in the 1980s but humpbacks whales have been observed by people for centuries. Cetaceans have fascinated humans for thousands of years - many cultures globally painted recognizable pictures of whales and wrote stories about them. Some Pacific humpback whales migrate to parts of Alaska, traveling to Southeast Alaska to forage. Humpback whales are important in Tlingit culture through art including being carved into objects, painted depictions, and through weaving. For coastal Tlingit people, villages were built along the mainland coast, fjords, bays, and islands of southeast Alaska. Meaning humpback whales were well observed by those living near the sea. The term whale watching has taken on a different meaning than what the words directly imply; the words "whale watching" are often tied to the whale watch industry. But simply seeing and observing whales from the sea or from the shore, is still whale watching. Human observations of cetaceans is a timeless experience; Tlingit people now in Southeast see generations of humpback whales swim through Southeast just as people did thousands of years ago.
Source used for ID and general information about humpback whales: https://www.juneauflukes.org
Comments
I knew that the whales have a huge migratory loop, spending the summers here in the southeast and then moving south to Hawaii or Mexico. What I didn't know was many or that they were documented so well, 30,000 documented whales is a huge number! I've spent many summers now in Jackson Wy where there are several "local celebrities" the brown bear 399 most famously. Also cool to learn more about the close relationship between the local peoples and whales. Looking at the location that you posed it looks like there have been lots of other humpback sightings there. Must be a hot spot!
I've heard about how scientists have been able to start IDing whales based on their coloration of their flukes, but I also didn't realize that they have documented 30,000 whales! That is crazy! I love how you talked about how whale watching has other meanings besides the negativity that most people think of for the tours. But they hold importance for the Tlingit people, and others simply observing them. They are important to not only the ecosystem in the ocean, but to the culture they have to not only the Tlingit people, but also others globally. I’ve only been able to see whales a couple times before, but I hope I get to see them again!
This is a very informative journal about such an amazing species, it's especially cool that you were able to find the identification for this whale. I love how they all have unique markings just like our human fingerprints, I wonder if their markings are similar to their family members' markings at all?
You did a wonderful job describing human relationships to these amazing animals, even if we don't always get super close to these animals some people still get to forge relationships with them from afar, looking forward to seeing them every year when they return to the local waters. I've been on a few ocean trips over my life and seeing any kind of whale or porpoise is always such an amazing experience, my favorite has always been the orcas/killer whales but I'm really falling in love with the humpback since moving to Juneau and seeing how much the people here love them.
As a former whale watching guide this post brings back memories of being on the water. They're such beautiful and elegant creatures! In your research did you find anything on the relationship with hunting them? I've eaten whale meat as a child and it was a very chewy experience. I'm sure the people in this area have always had a strong connection with whales since they were constantly canoeing on the ocean. One fun fact I love to share about Humpback whales is that they have the strongest muscle in the animal kingdom - the peduncle! It's their tail muscle which can propel them into the air with three swift pumps or kill an Orca with one blow! Thanks for sharing your knowledge of these miraculous animals.
Thanks for bringing some of the beloved megafauna into our class, Luke, with your observation! You also drew in a source that connects to another source everyone may enjoy using: https://happywhale.com/home. On Happy Whale you can actually upload your own photos of flukes, and help be part of maintaining this extensive data about some of our impressive neighbors.
Keep in mind that during Week 4 we will learn about MLA Format, and then everyone will be required to use that format for giving credit to sources both in a Works Cited format, and in in-text format. Something to just be aware of in the weeks to come.
Best,
Professor Brooke
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