Bryde's Whales

Bryde's whale

We have been really excited this year to see a handful of Bryde's whales (pronounced "Brew-dus" and named for Johan Bryde, a Norwegian whaler). This is a large baleen whale which can be difficult to distinguish from a sei whale,  which is  similar in size and coloration. One of the distinguishing features of the Bryde's is the presence of three lateral ridges on the head. We have been able to get pictures of the head that show the ridges and confrim that we are seeing Bryde's whales. This year so far we have had five sightings of individuals (the shape of the dorsal fin can be used to identify individuals). We love our humpbacks, but it's always exciting to see different species!

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Here you can see the right lateral ridge next to the central ridge. The three lateral ridges on the head of a Bryde's whale are an identifying characteristic of this species

The shapes and notches of dorsal fins can be used to identify individuals