Flip Nicklin / Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis) researchers Roger Payne, right, Jim Darling, left, and Gustavo Alvarez Colombo, center, watching individual dive, Peninsula Valdez, Argentina

Flip Nicklin / Biopsy dart in fin of Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) to collect samples of fat and skin for genetic tests, southeast Alaska

Flip Nicklin / Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) researcher Dr James Darling holds tip of biopsy dart used to collect genetic data on whales, southeast Alaska

Flip Nicklin / Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis) researcher Jim Darling pets friendly individual, Peninsula Valdez, Argentina

Flip Nicklin / Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis) researchers Jim Darling and Roger Payne photographing flipper, Peninsula Valdez, Argentina

Flip Nicklin / Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) researchers Lea Gerber and Dr James Darling shoot biopsy darts at whales with dart bouncing off whale unnoticed, carrying a sample of fat and skin in the tip, A...

Ralph Pace / Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) biologist Jim Darling and photographer Flip Nicklin observing whales, Maui, Hawaii, image taken under NMFS Permit # 19225

Flip Nicklin / Humpback whale researcher Jim Darling reviewing ID photos i n his home, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Flip Nicklin / Marine biologist Dr. Jim Darling listening to and recording Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) songs, Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, Maui, Hawaii

Flip Nicklin / Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) researcher Jim Darling listening to and recording whale songs, Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, Maui, Hawaii

Flip Nicklin / Orca (Orcinus orca) pair filmed for 'Island of the Whales' by Koji Nakamura and Jim Darling, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Flip Nicklin / Orca (Orcinus orca) pair filmed for 'Island of the Whales' by Koji Nakamura and Jim Darling, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada