Photo-identification

Like our fingerprints, the scars observed on the dorsal fin of the Risso dolphin (Grampus griseus) or the outline of the sperm whale’s caudal fin (Physeter macrocephalus) are specific to any individual, and this is how we are able to identify the animals. By comparing the pictures taken at sea, is it possible to know more about the animals we observe.

On your return from your trip, please send us your own pictures (giving dates and locations) so as to enrich our catalogues of identification pictures.

Those pictures will be added to the catalogue of Europhlukes organization, a EU project whose purpose is to centralise information and create a database.

For more information about this project:

a couple of Risso dolphins (Grampus griseus) :

a couple of spermwhale (Physeter macrocephalus) :

"Perneta" (Physeter macrocephalus) And "Perneta", easy to recognize….the first sighting dates back to 1996. Ever since, this animal, now our mascot, has been frequently sighted near São Miguel, Faial and Pico.