Fork
Female, Unit U
Born: <2000
Mother: Unknown
Born: <2000
Mother: Unknown
Fork is a large, solidly built and long-standing member of Unit U. She is known to be shy and to avoid interaction with humans. This sizable yet cautious whale has been a mother, having given birth to Spoon prior to 2005. Unfortunately, Spoon is believed to be deceased.
Like many older adult females, Fork has a vertical patch of off-white discoloration along the front portion of her nose between the top of her head and upper lip. The discoloration may be the accumulative effect of long-term foraging practices, or may simply be a natural part of the aging process of sperm whales. The irregular edges of her flukes also indicate that Fork has lived a long and adventurous life.
We documented Fork in 2019 while she was sleeping and traveling with blended Units U and F. She deliberately kept her distance from observers but was still within visual range for marginal underwater identification and data collection. We had better luck capturing imagery of her in 2022, however she remained cautious and somewhat elusive.
Straight edged damage on left, small divot on right fin
White dot near left pec fin, white slash on stomach
Serrations and scallop on left, damage on right
Nov 25, 2022
Nov 25, 2022
Nov 23, 2022
Dec 9, 2019
Nov 26, 2022
Dec 9, 2019
Dec 4, 2022
Nov 28, 2022
Nov 25, 2022
Nov 26, 2022
Nov 25, 2022
Dec 9, 2019
Nov 26, 2022
Nov 26, 2022
Dec 9, 2019
Dec 16, 2022
Last Observed
| Date / Time | Location | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 19/12/2022 3:09 pm | 15 16 100/061 26 978 4.5 miles from shore |
Fork travels with Digit, joins Hope and Canopener as group exchanges codas |
| 04/12/2022 1:08 pm | 15 21 649/061 26 672 2 miles from shore |
Fork closes in from side to join Canopener and Hope while emitting codas |
| 01/12/2022 1:41 pm | 15 24 141/061 31 305 8 miles from shore |
Fork dives underneath the surface as all six family members approach from afar |
| 09/12/2019 1:15 pm | 15 20 559/061 28 647 4.8 miles from shore |
Fork approaches and surfaces with members of Units U and F as they swim together at 15 – 30 ft |
| 09/12/2019 11:42 am | 15 20 394/061 28 615 4.4 miles from shore |
Fork and 5 members of Units U and F approach as rain falls, slowly slide into sleeping positions, flukes up |
| 09/12/2019 10:35 am | 15 21 532/061 27 743 3.4 miles from shore |
Fork sleeps with flukes up among members of Units U and F |
| 08/12/2018 8:20 am | 15 14 846/061 25 546 4.3 miles from shore |
Fork swim by with members of Unit U |
| Date/Time: | 19/12/2022 3:09 pm |
|---|---|
| Location: | 15 16 100/061 26 978 4.5 miles from shore |
| Activity: | Fork travels with Digit, joins Hope and Canopener as group exchanges codas |
| Date/Time: | 04/12/2022 1:08 pm |
| Location: | 15 21 649/061 26 672 2 miles from shore |
| Activity: | Fork closes in from side to join Canopener and Hope while emitting codas |
| Date/Time: | 01/12/2022 1:41 pm |
| Location: | 15 24 141/061 31 305 8 miles from shore |
| Activity: | Fork dives underneath the surface as all six family members approach from afar |
| Date/Time: | 09/12/2019 1:15 pm |
| Location: | 15 20 559/061 28 647 4.8 miles from shore |
| Activity: | Fork approaches and surfaces with members of Units U and F as they swim together at 15 – 30 ft |
| Date/Time: | 09/12/2019 11:42 am |
| Location: | 15 20 394/061 28 615 4.4 miles from shore |
| Activity: | Fork and 5 members of Units U and F approach as rain falls, slowly slide into sleeping positions, flukes up |
| Date/Time: | 09/12/2019 10:35 am |
| Location: | 15 21 532/061 27 743 3.4 miles from shore |
| Activity: | Fork sleeps with flukes up among members of Units U and F |
| Date/Time: | 08/12/2018 8:20 am |
| Location: | 15 14 846/061 25 546 4.3 miles from shore |
| Activity: | Fork swim by with members of Unit U |
