Has anyone else seen this whale?
Posted by Responsible-Hold-869@reddit | whales | View on Reddit | 54 comments
I was just wondering if anyone else has seen this humpback whale or if it’s been tracked anywhere.
I saw it when I was on a whale watching tour off the coast of Exmouth in Western Australia in August 2015.
I’ve always wondered about it as the tail looks deformed, hopefully it’s still out there doing what whales do.
Opening-Ad8035@reddit
Not in person (someday, and that day I will cry), but that's s common movement for humpbacks. They are very playful and scenic. They want to make everything they do look spectacular
Complete-Leg-4347@reddit
You're right that the tail looks deformed. I don't think that's because of external damage (the shape looks clean and symmetrical), so maybe it's just a genetic fluke- no pun intended. If you find the right database, that should be distinctive enough to get an ID, as long as the animal has been sufficiently spotted by others to have an entry.
Historical_Fold_9946@reddit
Oh no, you can't drop that here and claim it was accident. You need to own it.
Responsible-Hold-869@reddit (OP)
I’ve posted an update in another post with more pictures
beach_mouse123@reddit
It’s a pair of pectoral fins, you just can’t see the body. See similar photo below.
Responsible-Hold-869@reddit (OP)
Never thought of that. Looks like them alright, thanks
beach_mouse123@reddit
Glad to be of help ✌️
Responsible-Hold-869@reddit (OP)
Found more pictures, they’re all below in the comments.
kingtaco_17@reddit
So you’re saying it’s not a giant lobster claw
Revolutionary-Pin-96@reddit
First photo looks like they are connected to vetrebrae. Really weird perspective or a strange looking fluke
vickyy97@reddit
But in OP’s first photo you can clearly see that they are connected to a narrow base, and does not look like how pec fins are positioned relative to each other…
beach_mouse123@reddit
Trying to help you out here, look at photo 4, you can just make out the ventral (belly) side as it rolls.
The fluke:
BaryOnX43@reddit
On photos 1 and 3, you can with a relative confidence that they are connected, so I bet it is a deformed tail fluke. Tips and patterns also don't match those on pectoral fins
vickyy97@reddit
Ohh I see it now! Thanks
beach_mouse123@reddit
They’re pecs, it’s the angle of the photo and the position of the body during a roll.
Ratotosk@reddit
Are we sure this is not a kraken's claw?
Responsible-Hold-869@reddit (OP)
Responsible-Hold-869@reddit (OP)
Responsible-Hold-869@reddit (OP)
Responsible-Hold-869@reddit (OP)
Responsible-Hold-869@reddit (OP)
Responsible-Hold-869@reddit (OP)
I found a few more pictures, they’re all in sequence showing the whale surface and dive. You can see that it’s the definitely the tail now.
Still waiting to hear back from HappyWhale
Minntaka@reddit
RemindMe! One week
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Pillroller88@reddit
No reported sightings in Tennessee
AnimeAbove@reddit
Indiana is clear
medic-in-a-dress@reddit
Good to know... I don't want my family feeling threatened by the land whales 😖
kelly162828@reddit
Clear in Delaware
Forsaken_Article_295@reddit
Nothing in Nevada unfortunately
FCSFCS@reddit
The Mojave also appears clear.
Specialist_Clue_3168@reddit
Zip in Nuevo Mexico
Attackoffrogs@reddit
Same here in Colorado.
dragonslayerbarbie@reddit
Can confirm nothing up here in Kentucky either
subzer0sense1@reddit
Stick with it!
Responsible-Hold-869@reddit (OP)
That’s a shame, it has the look of a country music fan
Nerf217@reddit
Oh yea thats Larry, we go way back
whalelover323@reddit
That’s a humpback
Lordpyron98@reddit
Definitely not pectorals, they are not shaped like that. This is a deformed animal
Thick-Cartoonist-493@reddit
This is definitely pectoral flippers and not a tail. The whale was on its back with the pectoral flipper sticking up.
reddit_yeah_i_did@reddit
It’s a giant spider crab claw
BaryOnX43@reddit
Looks to me like a kind of deformations they suffer from entanglement sometimes. I also disagree with the people who consider those to be pectoral fins rather than deformed tail fluke. On a 1 and especially 3 photos, you can see what I think is the connection of two "parts", tips, and putters don't resemble pectoral fins to me *
BaryOnX43@reddit
BaryOnX43@reddit
Responsible-Hold-869@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the info, I’ve sent the pictures off to HappyWhale. Hopefully they come back with an ID.
hopeless_wanderer44@reddit
The Earwig Whale.
Responsible-Hold-869@reddit (OP)
Update - I’ve sent the pictures to Happywhale.com. I’ll let you know what they say.
My_2Cents_666@reddit
That looks like a humpback’s pec fins.
UmmHelloIGuess@reddit
Submit photos to Happywhale. They track humpbacks and can give you updates when the whale is spotted again
TeTrodoToxin4@reddit
That typically works better with a fluke photo and not the pectoral flippers raised in the air.
But it is a humpback.
Born_Structure1182@reddit
I think op said this is its tail/flukes.
TeTrodoToxin4@reddit
It is the pectoral flippers, I’ve seen humpback whales do this quite a bit.
The angle and curve match/ pectoral flippers when they are rolling, but not a tail fluke.
Responsible-Hold-869@reddit (OP)
Thanks, I’ll do that
Powerful_Feedback190@reddit
Please update with what you find!
Responsible-Hold-869@reddit (OP)
No problem, I’ll send them the picture in the morning and I’ll update as soon as I hear back.