This document is the first and only identification catalogue for humpback whales in Victorian Waters and fills an important gap in the understanding of this species in the region. It...
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Below you can meet VIC 0009 and VIC 0138, two very special humpback whales recorded in our waters.
Our research team identifies the individual humpbacks using images of their unique tail flukes. These are mostly taken by many keen citizen scientists.
The Dolphin Research Institute hosts the Victorian Humpback Fluke ID Catalogue which holds records of more than 200 individual whales collected over two decades. We also host the Two Bays Whale Project which captures the movement of whales through Victoria’s waters (especially the central region).
Our research provides crucial basic information about the whales and dolphins in our region. All reports are publically available and shared with federal and state governments, the International Whaling Commission and the Southern Hemisphere Whales and Climate Project.
Join us as a hero for our dolphins and whales.
“VIC 0009”
Whale VIC_0009 was first photographed in the Two Bays region by the Dolphin Research Institute off Mount Martha in Port Phillip in August of 2011. On this day, she was accompanied by four presumed male humpback whales who appeared to be competing for the right to mate with her. The pod was very active in the area and were quite violent toward each other at times. Our research team were in the midst of this amazing event and managed to collect some spectacular images, including the fluke of VIC_0009. But this is not the only sighting of this whale. After uploading images to the online platform Happywhale, we were excited to learn that VIC_0009 was first sighted in Hervey Bay, Queensland, in 2008. We will keep watch for future sightings.
“VIC 0138”
Whale VIC_0138 is a rather boisterous showoff. This youngster was first photographed in October of 2020 near Rodondo Island off Wilsons Promontory. We are not sure whether it is male or female, but it was in the company of another humpback whale as they made their journey south. On this windy Spring day, whale watchers were treated to a spectacular and prolonged display of tail slapping, head lunging, and general playfulness. These animals paused their migration to seemingly enjoy their last moments off the Australian mainland before heading into the cold Southern Ocean.
READ ABOUT THE PROGRAMS YOU ARE HELPING TO SUPPORT
Victorian Humpback Whale Catalogue We identify and track humpback whales from images of their flukes (compared to dorsal fins for dolphins). DRI now hosts the Victorian Humpback Whale Fluke Identification...
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2021 Report How many eyes does it take to capture the movement of whales through central Victorian waters? The answer is LOTS! And this is exactly what the Two Bays...
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Most whales don’t wave their fluke in the air as if to say “here I am”. The most usual sighting of a whale is the distant “blow” as the animal…
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