Novel method for identifying individual cetaceans using facial features and symmetry: A test case using dolphins

What is it about?

Telling dolphins apart by faces - a new identification method: In this study, we show that individual dolphins can be identified by their faces, “inventing” a novel method of dolphin identification. We show that facial features in common bottlenose dolphins are long-term and consistent across the left and right sides.

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Why is it important?

This new method can complement identification based on dorsal fins. Unlike dorsal fins, faces are not subject to the same level of change due to external influences, and may therefore be more reliable over long periods. This new method may also enable calves (which tend to have unmarked fins) to be re-identified after weaning, thus increasing cross-generational knowledge. It may be particularly suited to species that do not carry many markings on dorsal fins, or those that lack dorsal fins altogether.