T he Center for Whale Research is located on San Juan Island in the Pacific Northwest of the USA. The Center was founded to promote, support and conduct benign scientific research on marine mammals of the order Cetacea - whales, dolphins and porpoises. The research methodology is primarily that of photoidentification in population and behavioral studies. The knowledge gained from these studies is provided to governments, to the public and to conservation organizations.
The Center is funded by contributions from individuals and organizations, occasional grants, slaes of whale-related items, and contracted studies. It is incorporated as a non-profit organization in the State of Washington with IRS 501 (c)(3) tax deductible status [EIN 91-1334319].

Center for Whale Research
P rinciple studies underway are Orca Survey - a long term photoidentification study of killer whales in the Pacific Northwest since 1976; Australian Humpbacks - a photoidentification study of humpback whales since 1986 to determine migratory patterns, stock identity and population status off western Australia; and Bahamas Marine Mammal Survey - a general survey of marine mammals in the northern Bahamas since 1991, with particular emphasis on photoidentification studies of bottlenose dolphins, pilot whales, and beaked whales. Most of the Center's field work is conducted in cooperation with the Earthwatch Institute, a Massachussetts based volunteer environmental organization.

Orca Survey Territory

More information about Orca Survey and the Center for Whale Research
can be found on these pages:

The Center for Whale Research Homepage

David Barron's page on Orca Survey

David Hoffmann's page on Orca Survey

Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation

Earthwatch Bahamas Marine Mammal Survey

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