Donate Them to Monterey Bay Marine Life Studies

Marine Life Studies would love to have your help from your donation of identification photos of orcas and humpback whales.

As you know each whale has a unique pattern much like a human fingerprint.

• Identification photo of an orca is the side view that includes the saddle patch and fin.
• Identification photo of a humpback is the underside of the fluke (tail).

© Peggy Stap 2008 taken under the authority of NMFS Permit #1094-1836-02

Along with the photos the information we need is the correct date and location (for example: Monterey Bay, Channel Islands, etc.). If you were on a whale watch boat please send the name of the whale watch boat you went out on.

• Please submit the largest original digital file you have as it will provide the most detail we need to identify the individual whales.
• You do not need to crop or manipulate the photo in any way as we have a process that we use to get the most out of each identification photo.
• It is best to have the digital file just as you took the photo. We can take raw, tiff or jpeg files. Since raw and tiff files are rather large it might be best to mail a CD or DVD with them to:

Marine Life Studies
Photo ID Project
Box 163
Moss Landing, CA 95039

Jpeg files are fine to send via email but if you have a lot please mail a CD or DVD to the address above.

We will send you the finished identification photo after we have processed it. You will own all copyrights to the photo. We will add your name and copyright to the finished identification photo – so please send your full name as you would like it to appear.

Your participation in our continued research is invaluable. If you would like to become more involved please e-mail Marine Life Studies.