Here are some great photos from our research intern, Laura, of a finback whale seen on the whale watch on Monday, June 15th. When photographing finback whales, Allied Whale researchers take a series of photos along both sides of this massive mammal capturing the natural features we use to identify them. The swirly, grayish-brown pattern along the side of the whale is called the chevron. Like a fingerprint, each one is unique to each individual whale. The dorsal fin, located two-thirds down the whale's back, is also photographed. Like the chevron, the dorsal is different. Some have nicks and other distinctive markings. 
