Sperm Whales of the Eastern North Pacific and Eastern Tropical Pacific: Photo-Identification Catalog, 1984-2026

This study presents a curated catalog of 107 photo-identified sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus). The majority were compiled from research cruises conducted by the Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) between 1991 and 2024, during which sperm whale photo-identification (photo-ID) data were collected. Additional photo-ID data were collected opportunistically by citizen scientists and naturalists working along the coastline of California and by the Grupo de Investigación y Conservación de Mamíferos Marinos in Mexico.

The objectives of publishing this catalog are three-fold: (1) to create a publicly available catalog of sperm whale photo-IDs from the eastern North Pacific and tropical Pacific (ETP) to facilitate research collaboration and comparison; (2) to promote understanding of the distribution, movement, and ecology of sperm whales in the region; and (3) to support the management and conservation of sperm whales under the U. S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Citation:

Loomis, K.J., P.A. Olson, A. Schulman-Janiger, J. Barlow, J.E. Moore, J. Calambokidis, A.B. Douglas, L.A. Wild, and S.L. Mesnick. 2026. Sperm Whales of the Eastern North Pacific and Tropical Pacific: Photo-Identification Catalog, 1984-2026. U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SWFSC-739. doi: 10.25923/fnn5-qf15