AFSC/NMML: North Pacific Right Whale Photo-ID Catalog

The eastern population of the North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena japonica) is the most endangered stock of whales in the world, with recent abundance estimates indicating a population size of approximately 30 animals. Photo-identification of the naturally occurring callosity patterns on the chin, rostrum, lips and post blowhole, and the lip and fluke trailing edge crenulations together represent a nonintrusive technique for obtaining information on their life history parameters, distribution and movements, stock structure, health assessment, and population size. As part of a study funded by the Minerals Management Service and North Pacific Research Board, a North Pacific right whale photo-identification catalog has been established using sighting data recorded since the late 1970s by various dedicated surveys and opportunistic sighting platforms. Date, time, position, photographer, picture quality and notes are documented for each of the approximately 1,780 photographs in the catalog. Within the catalog, there are 18 individual animals with both a high-quality left and right side oblique photograph or a high-quality aerial photograph of the head and dorsal surface; this should be considered the conservative minimum number of individuals catalogued. There are nine other animals with a high quality left or right oblique photograph, but not both. There are eight additional animals with the full suite of required photographs, but the images are of poor quality and cannot be reliably matched. Seven individuals were seen between years (over a period of 11 years), and one of those whales was seen in five separate years within that same period. Data from this catalog have been used to calculate the first abundance estimates for the population. Additionally, the first known match between high and low latitudes (the Bering Sea and Hawaii) was discovered in the catalog. Tracking the within- and between-year sighting histories of photo-identified individuals over decades broadens our knowledge of how these animals use their habitat, and can significantly assist the conservation and management of the species.