Scientists at the New England Aquarium earlier this month unveiled a new slate of names for north Atlantic right whales previously identified only by number. Bestowing nicknames on right whales is an annual tradition that helps researchers in the field identify the critically endangered animals in real time.
Check out the 19 newly named whales in this slideshow:
Every right whale in the north Atlantic right whale catalog has a number assigned to them, but the whales are easier to identify with the nicknames that often correspond to its physical features. The new names come as the annual north Atlantic right whale calving season is underway. With fewer than 360 individuals left, and adult females only giving birth every 3 to 10 years, each whale is crucial to the species’ survival.
“Whale naming is a fun change of pace for those of us studying a species in peril. It allows us to be creative in looking at a whale’s unique appearance and experiences and often results in deeper connections with the whales for both the researchers and the public,” said Amy Warren, an assistant research scientist in the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium who led this year’s naming process.
The naming process involves submissions from various research organizations and a ranked choice voting system. The 2023 group includes “Jagger” (Catalog #5046), a 3-year-old male who is named for his large lip callosity markings (patches of raised tissue) resembling the lips of rockstar Mick Jagger. Another male right whale, “Kermit” (Catalog #4220), has a callosity shaped like Kermit the Frog.
There’s also 22-year-old female “Marilyn Monroe” (Catalog #3130), whose name stems from a scar on the front of her head that resembles the film star’s beauty mark. Then there’s also Calamari (Catalog #3946), who has — you guessed it — a callosity that looks like a squid; and “Waldo” (Catalog #3191), who is identified by a pattern on his head resembling the round glasses of the “Where’s Waldo” character.
As of Dec. 27, four new calves had been spotted off Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida this calving season, which runs through March. The calves don’t yet have names, but their mothers do. They are Palmetto, Horton, Juno, and Wolf.
The Tide brings news and observations from The Current’s staff.