A humpback whale’s tail is as unique as a fingerprint. The tail — mostly black, with a wash of white speckles near the edge — belongs to a whale named Old Timer. First spotted in 1972, Old Timer is now a male of at least 53 years, making him “the oldest known humpback whale in the world,” said Dr. Humpback whale populations, once severely depleted by commercial whaling, have rebounded in recent decades. Scores of seabirds and marine mammals, including humpback whales, died.

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Persons: Adam A, Alaska’s Frederick Sound, ”, Pack Organizations: University of Hawai’i, The Dolphin Institute Locations: Hilo, Alaska’s