I – Identification Methods

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses identification methods of cetaceans, pinnipeds, and sirenians. Individual identification is an important tool for studies of animal behavior, ecology, and population biology. Cetaceans exhibit a variety of individually distinctive natural features. In most cases, features appearing above the surface of the water during the respiratory cycle are most useful. In particular, heads, backs, dorsal fins, and flukes are used most frequently for individual identification, with variations occurring in color patterns, skin patches, body scarring, and nicks and notches along fin edges. Natural marks in sirenians, including deformities and scars, have been used to identify individual Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) since the 1950s. Among the marks that have proven most useful for individual identification are the scars from collisions with boats, especially propeller scars. Much can be learned from recognition of individuals within a population or social unit or from tracking individuals through time. Repeated observations of a recognizable individual can help to define its ranging patterns or site fidelity or to quantify habitat use. Behavioral studies benefit greatly from the ability to recognize individuals.