How Pepper was named

In the mid-1970s, as commercial whale watching began off the coast of Massachusetts, a distinctive female humpback whale was first documented in the Gulf of Maine. Her dorsal fin featured extensive white scarring that resembled a sprinkling of salt, earning her the name **Salt** from Captain Aaron Avellar of the Dolphin Fleet. On the same early trips, her frequent companion—a whale with a solid black dorsal fin—was aptly named **Pepper**.

Salt and Pepper quickly became two of the first individually named humpback whales in the region, kickstarting a tradition of photo-identification that has helped researchers track thousands of individuals ever since. Their names were inspired directly by the contrasting appearances of their dorsal fins, rather than the more common practice of naming based on tail (fluke) patterns or scars.

While most humpback whales in the Gulf of Maine are named for unique markings on their flukes or bodies, some calves receive names themed around their mother’s. Pepper, a prolific mother with at least 10 documented calves, has several offspring following a “spicy” theme:

– **Paprika** and **Habanero** (also spelled Habenero in some records), both named after spices.

– **Siete**, possibly evoking a brand of spicy foods or sauces, continuing the hot-and-fiery motif.

Pepper has been a known grandmother for years. For instance, her calf Habanero (born around 2000) was later seen with her own calf as early as 2008, making Pepper a proud grandmatriarch. Many of these grandcalves have gone on to be named and tracked, though some younger ones remain unnamed until they are reliably re-sighted in subsequent years.

Salt, meanwhile, is one of the most famous and studied humpbacks in the world, with a family tree that includes numerous calves (often named by the Avellar family in a salt/seasoning theme) and multiple generations of descendants.

These pioneering whales and their families continue to provide invaluable insights into humpback biology, migration, and social structure through ongoing research by organizations like the Center for Coastal Studies.