T060C "Yelnats" scouting the south end of Lopez Island
Today we found the T060C's (and T02B)! People often ask us how we ID them (dorsal fin shape, nicks, scars and the saddle patch shape!) but sometimes the dorsal fins are so similar to another orca that it's difficult to tell! In fact, T060C got his name, "Yelnats," because of this close similarity with another orca.
Look at these two boys! They are related, but not closely, and were born only a year apart. They belong to the same community and have very similarly shaped dorsal fins. They also have the EXACT SAME NICK! The saddle patch differences are extremely subtle, but they are the deciding factor in Identification. BONUS FACT: T123 is named "Stanley," and T060C is named "Yelnats," which is "Stanley" in reverse!
Photos by Liberty
ID photos from the Center for Whale Research ID Guide