Gray Whale Coastal Ecosystems Research Foundation Photo ID Lesson by Dr. William Megill The real thing Ok, now, no more hints: You're on your own for this one. This is an example of the kind of work we do every day. Usually we work off the coast of British Columbia, near a place called Cape Caution, which is on the mainland shore, just north of Vancouver Island. We've been working there since 1994, and now have a catalogue of some 100 grey whales. In February 2001, our crew went down to Laguna San Ignacio, in Baja California Sur, Mexico, one of the lagoons where grey whales go in winter to breed. We spend a month on the lagoon, and came home with 40 rolls of film. We started comparing photographs, and before long spotted a match - can you see it in the photographs on this page?   These pictures are of the left-hand side of some of the grey whales we've seen near Cape Caution, BC, Canada. The pictures below were taken in Laguna San Ignacio, BCS, Mexico. Have a good look at details in the pigmentation patterns of the flanks of the four whales - can you spot the match? Click Next for the answer.    Next Coastal Ecosystems Research Foundation Allison Harbour PO Box 124 Port Hardy, BC, Canada V0N 2P0 tel: (604) 202-9350 or 1-877-223-2373 (toll-free) fax: (815) 327-0183 email: info@cerf.bc.ca All photographs and graphics in this document © CERF 1995-2001. Do not reproduce without prior written consent. Facebook Pinterest Twitter © 1997 – 2024 Journey North. All rights reserved.