Research Index

Minke Whale Photo-ID Catalogue

BS01 Denty (Left)

BS01 Denty (Right)

BS01 Denty

Denty was first catalogued in 1994 off Coll and Tiree. Note the small dent on the back behind the dorsal fin.

BS02 Lumpy (Left)

BS02 Lumpy (Right)

BS02 Lumpy

Lumpy was first catalogued in 1994 off Ardnamurchan. Note the uneven back behind the dorsal fin.

BS03 Orla (Left)

BS03 Orla (Right)

BS03 Orla

This whale was first catalogued in 1991 off Ardnamurchan. Nicknamed 'Scribble' by HWDT (note the scribble-like markings on the flank of the whale), this whale was named 'Orla' by the Dervaig Toddlers Group as a gift for Orla Tiernan. Find out how to name one of our whales HERE.

BS04 Blow (Left)

BS04 Blow (Right)

BS04 Blow

Blow was first catalogued in 1991 off the Isle of Mull. Note the marks on the flank of the whale.

BS05 Socket (Left)

BS05 Socket (Right)

BS05 Socket

Socket was first catalogued in 1995 off the Isle of Mull. Note the socket-like marks on the flank of the whale.

BS07 Polka (Left)

BS07 Polka (Right)

BS07 Polka

Polka was first catalogued in 1995 off Ardnamurchan. Note the two pale spots on the flank of the whale.

BS08 Bolt (Left)

BS08 Bolt (Right)

BS08 Bolt

Bolt was first catalogued in 1993 off Ardnamurchan.

BS09 Lola (Left)

BS09 Lola (Right)

BS09 Lola

This whale was first catalogued in 1996 off Ardnamurchan. Nicknamed 'Eye' by HWDT (note the nick in the back behind the dorsal fin), this whale was named 'Lola' in 2012 by the Dervaig Toddlers Group as a gift for Lola Tiernan. Find out how to name one of our whales HERE.

BS10 Whirl (Left)

BS10 Whirl (Right)

BS10 Whirl

Whirl was first catalogued in 1997 off Ardnamurchan. Note the markings on the rostrum, which may have been caused by entanglement with marine litter.

BS11 Twig (Left)

BS11 Twig (Right)

BS11 Twig

Twig was first catalogued in 1997 off the Isle of Mull.

BS12 Dane (Left)

BS12 Dane (Right)

BS12 Dane

Dane was first catalogued in 2001 off the Isle of Mull. Note the dent in the back behind the dorsal fin of this whale.

BS13 Patches (Left)

BS13 Patches (Right)

BS13 Patches

Patches was first catalogued in 1998 off the Small Isles. Note the pale marks on the flank of this whale.

BS14 Ropey (Left)

BS14 Ropey (Right)

BS14 Ropey

Ropey was first catalogued in 1998 off Ardnamurchan. Note the marks on the head area, which may have been caused by entanglement with a rope.

BS16 Pinky (Left)

BS16 Pinky (Right)

BS16 Pinky

Pinky was first catalogued in 2002 off Ardnamurchan. Note the apparent skin lesions on the flank of this whale.

BS17 Boxer (Left)

BS17 Boxer (Right)

BS17 Boxer

Boxer was first catalogued in 2002 off Ardnamurchan.

BS18 Backnotch (Left)

BS18 Backnotch (Right)

BS18 Backnotch

Backnotch was first catalogued in 2001, seen off Ardnamurchan and the Coll and Tiree area. Note the notch on the back of this whale, which may have been caused by a boat collision or entanglement in marine litter.

BS19 Scratch (Left)

BS19 Scratch (Right)

BS19 Scratch

Scratch was first catalogued in 2001 off Coll and Tiree, and has also been seen off the Small Isles. Note the scratch along the back of this whale.

BS20 Tape (Left)

BS20 Tape (Right)

BS20 Tape

Tape was first catalogued in 1999 off the Isle of Mull. Note the marine litter (possibly a plastic strapping band) caught around the rostrum of this whale. If this remains, it will cut into the flesh of the animal, causing discomfort and infection.

BS21 Catty (Left)

BS21 Catty (Right)

BS21 Catty

Catty was first catalogued in 1998. Note the pale patches on the flank of this whale.

BS23 Orca (Left)

BS23 Orca (Right)

BS23 Orca

Orca was first catalogued in 2004. Note the shape of the dorsal fin, which resembles that of a female orca.

BS25 Cloud (Left)

BS25 Cloud (Right)

BS25 Cloud

Cloud was first catalogued in 2004. Note the unusual cloud-like markings on the flank of this animal.

BS26 (Left)

BS26 (Right)

BS26

BS26 was first recorded in 2008.

BS27 (Left)

BS27 (Right)

BS27

BS27 has been first recorded in 2004

BS28 (Left)

BS28 (Right)

BS28

BS28 has been first recorded off Skye in 2006

BS29 (Left)

BS29 (Right)

BS29

BS29 has been first recorded in 2008

BS30 (Left)

BS30 (Right)

BS30

BS30 was first recorded in 2008.

BW01 Betty (Left)

BW01 Betty (Right)

BW01 Betty

Betty was first catalogued in 1992. Note the pale marks on the flank of this animal.

BW02 Blotch (Left)

BW02 Blotch (Right)

BW02 Blotch

Blotch was first catalogued in 1992. Note the pale markings on the flank of this whale.

BW03 Spotter (Left)

BW03 Spotter (Right)

BW03 Spotter

Spotter was first catalogued in 1994. Note the numerous pale spots on the body of this whale.

BW04 Doubledot (Left)

BW04 Doubledot (Right)

BW04 Doubledot

Doubledot was first catalogued in 1995. Note the two pale dots behind the dorsal fin on both sides of this animal.

BW05 Trio (Left)

BW05 Trio (Right)

BW05 Trio

Trio was first catalogued in 1996 off Coll and Tiree.

BW06 Blobs (Left)

BW06 Blobs (Right)

BW06 Blobs

Blobs was first catalogued in 1997. Note the distinctive pale 'blobs' on each flank of this whale.

BW07 Two pin (Left)

BW07 Two pin (Right)

BW07 Two pin

Two pin was first catalogued in 1997. Note the pale marks on the flank of this animal, reminiscent of a two pin plug.

BW08 Sweep (Left)

BW08 Sweep (Right)

BW08 Sweep

Sweep was first catalogued in 1998 off Coll and Tiree. Note the pale marks on the flank of this whale.

BW09 Moley (Left)

BW09 Moley (Right)

BW09 Moley

Moley was first catalogued in 1998.

BW10 Pox (Left)

BW10 Pox (Right)

BW10 Pox

Pox was first catalogued in 1998. Note the pale pox-like marks on the back of this whale.

BW11 Oval (Left)

BW11 Oval (Right)

BW11 Oval

Oval was first catalogued in 1999 off the Isle of Mull. Note the numerous pale marks on this whale.

BW12 Dotty (Left)

BW12 Dotty (Right)

BW12 Dotty

Dotty was first catalogued in 1999 off the Isle of Mull. Note the numerous small pale marks on this whale.

BW13 (Left)

BW13 (Right)

BW13

BS13 was spotted off the Isle of Mull in 2005.

BW14 (Left)

BW14 (Right)

BW14

BW14 has been recorded for the first time in 2005

BW15 (Left)

BW15 (Right)

BW15

BW15 was first recorded in 2006.

BW16 (Left)

BW16 (Right)

BW16

BW16 has been first spotted in 2007

BW17 (Left)

BW17 (Right)

BW17

BW17 was first recorded in 2008.

FD01 Nick (Left)

FD01 Nick (Right)

FD01 Nick

Nick was first catalogued in 1990 off Ardnamurchan and has been seen regularly since then around the Isle of Mull, Isles of Coll and Tiree and the Small Isles. The distinctive nick in the dorsal fin is used to identify this whale.

FD02 Notch (Left)

FD02 Notch (Right)

FD02 Notch

Notch was first catalogued in 1992 off Ardnamurchan, and has also been seen off the Isle of Mull. The distinctive nick in the dorsal fin is used to identify this whale.

FD03 Hook (Left)

FD03 Hook (Right)

FD03 Hook

Hook was first catalogued in 1992 off Ardnamurchan, and was seen there again in 2000. Note the distinctive hook-shape dorsal fin caused by a nick.

FD04 Cubix (Left)

FD04 Cubix (Right)

FD04 Cubix

Cubix was first catalogued in 1992 off Ardnamurchan. A smaller nick probably resulted in the loss of a larger piece of the trailing edge of the dorsal fin of this whale.

FD05 Holey (Left)

FD05 Holey (Right)

FD05 Holey

Holey was first catalogued in 1992 off Ardnamurchan, and has been seen several times there since. Holey has a similar, but larger, nick to Nick1 and Nick2.

FD06 Notch (Left)

FD06 Notch (Right)

FD06 Notch

Notch was first catalogued in 1991 off the Small Isles, but has been seen several times since then off the Isle of Mull and the Isles of Coll and Tiree. Note the notch close to the ti of the dorsal fin.

FD07 Arc (Left)

FD07 Arc (Right)

FD07 Arc

Arc was first catalogued in 1993 off Ardnamurchan and has been seen there several times since then. Note the nick in the middle of the trailing edge of the dorsal fin of this whale.

FD08 High Nick (Left)

FD08 High Nick (Right)

FD08 High Nick

High Nick was first catalogued in 1993 off Ardnamurchan, and has been seen several times since then off the Isle of Mull and the Small Isles. Note the nick in the dorsal fin of this whale.

FD09 Slash (Left)

FD09 Slash (Right)

FD09 Slash

Slash was first catalogued in 1994 off Ardnamurchan, and has been seen several times since then off the Isle of Mull, the Isles of Coll and Tiree and the Small Isles. The distinctive dorsal fin of this whale features a large nick, as well as a small nick near the tip.

FD10 Face (Left)

FD10 Face (Right)

FD10 Face

Face was first catalogued in 1994 off Ardnamurchan, and has been seen several times since then off the Isle of Mull, the Isles of Coll and Tiree and the Small Isles. The nicks in the dorsal fin of this whale resemble a face.

FD11 Doublenick (Left)

FD11 Doublenick (Right)

FD11 Doublenick

Doublenick was first catalogued in 1992 off Ardnamurchan, and has been seen there several times since then, as well as off the Isle of Mull. Note the two nicks in the dorsal fin of this whale.

FD12 Ratchet (Left)

FD12 Ratchet (Right)

FD12 Ratchet

Ratchet was first catalogued in 1994 off Ardnamurchan. Ratchet has two similar shaped nicks in the trailing edge of the dorsal fin.

FD12a No name (Left)

FD12a No name (Right)

FD12a No name

This whale was first catalogued in 1998 off the Isles of Coll and Tiree. It had been originally mis-identified as Ratchet, due to the similarity of the dorsal fins, but was made into a separate record when this was re-analysed, and has yet to be given a name.

FD13 Cutter (Left)

FD13 Cutter (Right)

FD13 Cutter

Cutter was first catalogued in 1993 off Coll and Tiree. Cutter has a small nick in the trailing edge of the dorsal fin.

FD14 Groover (Left)

FD14 Groover (Right)

FD14 Groover

Groover was first catalogued in 2000 off Coll and Tiree. Note the nick in the trailing edge of the dorsal fin.

FD15 Triangle (Left)

FD15 Triangle (Right)

FD15 Triangle

Triangle was first catalogued in 1996 off the Isle of Mull. Note the triangular-shaped nick at the base of the dorsal fin of this whale.

FD16 Munch (Left)

FD16 Munch (Right)

FD16 Munch

Munch was first catalogued in 1996 off the Isle of Mull. Note the subtle nicks along the trailing edge of the dorsal fin of this whale.

FD17 Peck (Left)

FD17 Peck (Right)

FD17 Peck

Peck was first catalogued in 1996 off the Isle of Mull. Note the nick in the dorsal fin, and overall shape of the dorsal fin.

FD18 Snip (Left)

FD18 Snip (Right)

FD18 Snip

Snip was first catalogued in 1997 off Ardnamurchan, and has been seen several times since then off the Isle of Mull and the Isles of Coll and Tiree. Snip has a smooth nick in the trailing edge of the dorsal fin of this whale.

FD19 Tipsy (Left)

FD19 Tipsy (Right)

FD19 Tipsy

Tipsy was first catalogued in 1996 off Ardnamurchan. Note that the tip of the dorsal fin is missing.

FD20 Mash (Left)

FD20 Mash (Right)

FD20 Mash

Mash was first catalogued in 2002 off Coll and Tiree. Mash has two nicks in the trailing edge, one nick in the leading edge and one nick at the base of the front of the dorsal fin.

FD21 No Fin (Left)

FD21 No Fin (Right)

FD21 No Fin

No Fin was first catalogued in 1999 off the Isle of Mull. As the name suggests, this whale has no dorsal fin, which may have been severed as a result of a boat collision or entanglement in marine litter.

FD22 Cogs (Left)

FD22 Cogs (Right)

FD22 Cogs

Cogs was first catalogued in 1999 off Ardnamurchan. Note the two nicks near the tip of the dorsal fin.

FD23 Beak (Left)

FD23 Beak (Right)

FD23 Beak

Beak was first catalogued in 1999 off Coll and Tiree. Note the nick in the trailing edge of the dorsal fin of this whale.

FD24 Rags (Left)

FD24 Rags (Right)

FD24 Rags

Rags was first catalogued in 1999 off Coll and Tiree. Note the several nicks near the tip of the dorsal fin.

FD26 Kasey (Left)

FD26 Kasey (Right)

FD26 Kasey

Kasey was first catalogued in 2000 off Ardnamurchan, and has been seen regularly since then and off the Isle of Mull, the Small Isles and through mid-Argyll. The three nicks in the trailing edge of the dorsal fin help us to identify this whale.

FD27 Knobble (Left)

FD27 Knobble (Right)

FD27 Knobble

Knobble was first catalogued in 2002 off Coll and Tiree, and has been seen several times since then off the Isle of Mull and around the Small Isles. The distinctive shape of the dorsal fin caused by several small nicks enable us to identify this animal.

FD28 Tatters (Left)

FD28 Tatters (Right)

FD28 Tatters

Tatters was first identified in 2000 around the Small Isles and off the Isle of Mull. The tip of the dorsal fin has almost become detached.

FD29 (Left)

FD29 (Right)

FD29

Called Bendy, seen in 2001.

FD30 Gash (Left)

FD30 Gash (Right)

FD30 Gash

Gash, seen in 1997 and 1998.

FD31 Sphere (Left)

FD31 Sphere (Right)

FD31 Sphere

Sphere, seen in 2001 in Coll/Tiree area, note how the tip of the fin is shaped like a sphere.

FD32 Gouge (Left)

FD32 Gouge (Right)

FD32 Gouge

Gouge was first identified in 2004. Note the nick near the base of the trailing edge of the dorsal fin.

FD33 Square (Left)

FD33 Square (Right)

FD33 Square

Square was first identified in 2004. Note the nick near the base of the trailing edge of the dorsal fin.

FD34 'W' (Left)

FD34 'W' (Right)

FD34 'W'

'W', seen in 2004.

FD35 Upper Notch (Left)

FD35 Upper Notch (Right)

FD35 Upper Notch

Upper Notch was first catalogued in 2004. Note the notch towards the top of the dorsal fin.

FD36 Notchbend (Left)

FD36 Notchbend (Right)

FD36 Notchbend

Notchbend was seen in 2004.

FD40 Beak2 (Left)

FD40 Beak2 (Right)

FD40 Beak2

Beak2 was first identified in 1999 of the Isle of Mull. Note the nick in the dorsal fin, and the similarity to the whale named 'Beak'.

FD41 HWDT (Left)

FD41 HWDT (Right)

FD41 HWDT

HWDT was first identified in 2005 off the Isle of Mull. The dorsal fin of this whale has several nicks along the trailing edge, as well as a dent or small nick on the leading edge of the fin.

FD42 (Left)

FD42 (Right)

FD42

This whale was seen in 2004, 2005 and 2007 around Mull and the Small Isles, it has a very distinctive notch.

FD43 (Left)

FD43 (Right)

FD43

This whale was seen in 2006.

FD44 (Left)

FD44 (Right)

FD44

Seen in 2006 in Mid-Argyll.

FD45 (Left)

FD45 (Right)

FD45

This whale, with its distinctive notch on the fin, was seen in 2007.

FD46 (Left)

FD46 (Right)

FD46

Identified in 2004 and 2007.

FD47 (Left)

FD47 (Right)

FD47

Identified in 2008.

FD48 (Left)

FD48 (Right)

FD48

This whale was spotted in the Mull of Kintyre in 2007.

FD49 (Left)

FD49 (Right)

FD49

In 2006 this whale was spotted on the North West coast of Scotland.

FD50 Dare (Left)

FD50 Dare (Right)

FD50 Dare

First identified in 2008.

FM01 Bullet (Left)

FM01 Bullet (Right)

FM01 Bullet

Bullet was first identified in 1995 off Coll and Tiree. There is a small nick in the dorsal fin, but also a distinctive indentation at the base of the fin.

FM02 Snowy (Left)

FM02 Snowy (Right)

FM02 Snowy

Snowy was first identified in 1994 off Coll and Tiree, and has been seen several times since then off Ardnamurchan. The tip of the dorsal fin is a distinctive 'snowy' white.

FM03 Kerry (Left)

FM03 Kerry (Right)

FM03 Kerry

Kerry was first identified by HWDT in 2001. Note the scratches, scars and pale spots on the body of this whale.

FS01 Top Notch (Left)

FS01 Top Notch (Right)

FS01 Top Notch

Top Notch was first identified in 1993 off the Isle of Mull, and has been seen several times since then off Ardnamurchan. Note the two small notches in the leading edge of the dorsal fin of this whale.

FS02 Gnasher (Left)

FS02 Gnasher (Right)

FS02 Gnasher

Gnasher was first identified in 1993. Note the subtle nick or dent on the upper part of the leading edge of the dorsal fin of this whale.

FS03 Weenick (Left)

FS03 Weenick (Right)

FS03 Weenick

Weenick was identified in 1991.

FS04 Lownick (Left)

FS04 Lownick (Right)

FS04 Lownick

Lownick was first catalogued in 1992. Note the nick low down on the trailing edge of the dorsal fin, and the overall pointy shape of the fin.

FS05 Nibble (Left)

FS05 Nibble (Right)

FS05 Nibble

Nibble was first identified in 1999. Note the small nick at the top of the dorsal fin of this whale.

FS06 Nipper (Left)

FS06 Nipper (Right)

FS06 Nipper

Nipper was first catalogued in 1995. Note the small nicks along the trailing edge of the dorsal fin of this whale.

FS07 Bite (Left)

FS07 Bite (Right)

FS07 Bite

Bite was first catalogued in 1992. Note the very tip of the dorsal fin is missing on this whale.

FS08 Knock (Left)

FS08 Knock (Right)

FS08 Knock

Knock was first catalogued in 1992. Note the tiny nick on the dorsal fin and the overall rounded shape of the fin.

FS09 Clipper (Left)

FS09 Clipper (Right)

FS09 Clipper

Clipper was first catalogued in 1997. Note the nick in the dorsal fin of this whale. This whale also has a plastic strapping band caught around its head close to the blowhole. It is clearly already cutting into the flesh of this whale.

FS10 Slice (Left)

FS10 Slice (Right)

FS10 Slice

Slice was first identified in 2002 off Ardnamurchan. There is a single nick in the trailing edge of the dorsal fin of this whale.

FS11 Punch (Left)

FS11 Punch (Right)

FS11 Punch

Punch was first identified in 2000 off the Isle of Mull. Note the overall curved shape of the dorsal fin and the nick towards the top of the trailing edge of the fin.

FS12 Snag (Left)

FS12 Snag (Right)

FS12 Snag

Snag was first catalogued in 2005 off the coast of mid-Argyll. There is a dent in the leading edge of the dorsal fin, which suggests it may have had something caught around it.