Humpback whales of the Gulf of Chiriquí
Project Coordinator: Kristin Rasmussen
Photo: K. Rasmussen
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Study area: Gulf of ChiriquÃ, Panama
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What we know so far
Humpback whales migrate from feeding areas in both the southern and northern hemispheres to Central America during their winter to mate and give birth. We have been monitoring the humpback whale population migrating from the southern hemisphere in the Gulf of Chiriqui, Panama since 2002. We currently have approximately 500 individual whales identified using the unique markings on the undersides of their tail flukes. We know from sharing these photos with our colleagues that these whales are migrating from feeding areas in Chile and Antarctica, and have also been seen in other breeding areas off Costa Rica, Ecuador and Colombia.
