Heartwarming Reunion with Ariel the Sperm Whale

If you’ve ever considered that sperm whales are capable of remembering and recognizing humans, this clip will be of interest. I met Ariel in 2018 when she was just a few months old, and spent time in the water with her again in 2019. She was animated, engaging, and amusing during our encounters and made a deep, lasting impression in my heart and mind. Due to covid I was unable to travel to Dominica in 2020 for my annual project and I was curious as to whether she would remember me after two years. The following is what happened when we saw each other again in 2021. While I hesitate to anthropomorphize, it’s difficult to believe that she did not demonstrate an unusual warmth and implied recognition of me as seen in this interaction. Please understand how honored and humbled I was as result of this experience. There is no guarantee that we will see the same whales or social groups each year during the time we are working under permit to enter the water with the whales, nor are high-quality encounters ever assured. This was an extremely fortunate and beautiful encounter. You can learn more about Ariel on my website: @ariel-2018/