About COA
 
Adoptable Whales
Fin whales
Fin whales reach lengths of over 80 feet and occur in all oceans of the world. Despite their enormous size and widespread distribution, very little is known about their regional population structure, behavior, calving rates and ecology. Threats to their habitat such as pollution, ocean dumping, shipping, destructive fishing practices and coastal development pose modern dangers to these magnificent creatures which narrowly escaped decimation by twentieth century whaling fleets.
 
Single Whale Adoptions
Archie
 
 
 
Archie was named for the distinctive arch of her dorsal fin.
 
 
 
 


Bill
 
 
 
Bill, a male, is commonly seen in the company of other fin whales on Gulf of Maine feeding grounds.
 
 
 


George Washington
 
 
 
 
George Washington, a male, was the first individual to be catalogued in the North Atlantic Fin Whale Catalogue.
 
 
 
 
 
Hurricane
 
 
 

Hurricane
, a male, is frequently sighted near Mt. Desert Rock, Allied Whale's offshore research station.
 
 
 
 
 
James Bond
 
 
 
James Bond (catalogue #0007) was actually found to be a female through recent genetic analysis.
 
 
 
 

Lunch
 
 
 
Although Lunch lost her dorsal fin (probably in a boat collision), she appears healthy and has been re-sighted frequently in the Gulf of Maine.
 
 
 


Nicky Fin
 
 
 
Nicky Fin is named for a distinctive nick at the base of his dorsal fin.
 
 
 
 


Octopus
 
 
 
Octopus was named for a pale octopus-shaped scar on the left side of his caudal peduncle (behind the dorsal fin).
 
 
 
 

Poly
 
 
 
 
Poly was named for the many nicks in his dorsal fin.
 



 

Raggedy
 
 
 
Raggedy was named for his distinctive dorsal fin, which is long and hooked with several indentations in the trailing edge.
 
 
 
 

Trunk
 
 
 
Trunk was named for its seemingly truncated dorsal fin. This whale's gender is unknown.
 
 
 
 
 

Mother-Calf Adoptions
With a mother-calf adoption, you'll receive photographs and sightings histories for both the mother and calf.
 
Acadia was sighted with her first known calf Schoodic in 2003.
Acadia
Schoodic

Quartz
, a whale frequently sighted in the Gulf of Maine, was spotted with calf Braveheart in 2003. Quartz
Braveheart

Humpback Whales
Humpback whales reach lengths of 50-60 feet and are favorites among whale watchers for their acrobatic displays. They migrate great distances, covering up to 5,000 miles each spring and fall as they travel between their equatorial breeding and calving grounds and their high latitude feeding grounds. Along with fin whales, humpbacks frequent Gulf of Maine waters each summer to feed. Humpback whales were hunted heavily in the twentieth century and as a result their populations were depleted by approximately 95 percent. Fortunately, humpback populations are now showing signs of recovery.

Single Whale Adoptions
Arrowhead
 
 
 
Arrowhead, a male, was first sighted in the Gulf of Maine in 1976 and has been re-sighted very regularly since then.
 
 
 
 
 

Breakers
 
 
 
Breakers is a favorite of local whale-watchers because of his frequent acrobatic displays.
 
 
 
 
 

Gemini
 
 
 
Gemini was named for the presence of two lines on his left fluke that resemble the symbol for Gemini, "II".
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nuke
 
 
 
 
Nuke was named for the distinctive mushroom-cloud shape on his flukes.
 
 
 
 
 
 
P.D.
 
 
 
Unlike most humpbacks, P.D. was named for the distinctiveness of her dorsal fin, rather than her flukes. Her name is short for "pointy dorsal," as her dorsal fin resembles a witch's nose.
 
 
 
 
 
Siphon
 
 
 
Siphon, a regular to the Gulf of Maine, has given birth to at least 4 calves since 2000.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Triton
 
 
 
Triton, an easily-recognizable male, is a favorite among Gulf of Maine whale watchers.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Mother-Calf Adoptions
With a mother-calf adoption, you'll receive photographs and sightings histories for both the mother and calf.
 
Siphon & Canine
 
 
 
 
Siphon 's calf Canine has been re-sighted in the Gulf of Maine several times since first making an appearance with its mother in 2004.
 
 
 
 
P.D. & Sonogram
 
 
 
P.D.'s calf Sonogram was sighted entangled in 2004 but escaped and has returned to the Gulf of Maine on multiple occasions since its injury.
 


Copyright ©2005 College of the Atlantic, All Rights Reserved