Dive into the science of humpback whale identification as you learn how marine mammal biologists identify individual humpback whales by recognizing unique differences in their tail flukes. Like human fingerprints, tails of humpbacks differ between whales, possessing varying amounts of black and white pigment on their underside and differences in the shape of the trailing edge of the flukes. Used together, these unique markers allow scientists to better understand the abundance, habitat usage and migration patterns of whales in a particular area. Now it’s your turn to investigate! The kit contains 10 distinct puzzle pieces, each based on whales identified off on Montauk by CRESLI. Try to match each tail to its base and see how different (and in some cases, similar) the tails can be! Additionally, a matching exercise of five known whales encountered off Montauk is included. Here, you will examine a tail on a model humpback and try to match the pigmentation patterns to tails on the key provided. Complete the exercise and email your results to CRESLI for a personalized certificate of completion. Have fun learning how marine biologists collect data with this exciting at-home kit. Cost: $28.00

Cost includes shipping.