via Island Adventures Whale Watching https://ift.tt/32PZ0F2
September “Whale of the Month”: This month we highlight an individual with an interesting history, minke whale “Chrissie Hein”. Chrissie was not this whale’s original nickname. First spotted in the Salish Sea back in 2004, this minke was briefly called “Snowflake” by a Durham University PhD student because of a white mark on the left side of the dorsal. After more encounters, and noticing the abundance of scrapes, nicks, and cuts on the whale, a new nickname, “Johnny Rotten”, was given, inspired by the famous punk singer and more fitting for the whale’s rough exterior. That name persisted for years until all of a sudden, in 2011, “Johnny” showed up with a calf! Now a confirmed female, she was finally given her official nickname, “Chrissie Hein”, after rocker Chrissie Hynde, and a play on Hein Bank where Chrissie is often seen feeding on baitfish. As her name suggests, Chrissie is one tough cookie. In 2006, she escaped an attack by a trio of Bigg’s (mammal-eating) killer whales and lived to tell the tale. She is one of the most recognizable and best-documented minke whales in the Salish Sea, seen consistently year after year feeding on the region’s shallow banks.
Island Adventures 