Andrew Armour, who runs Kubuli Watersports on the Caribbean island of Dominica, has been called the “Whale Whisperer” because of his ability to communicate with sperm whales, particularly a young male named “Scar.” “The whales come to us, make friends with us, and interact with us,” says Peter G. Allinson, a Baltimore doctor who has made several trips to Dominica, which is between the French islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe.
Armour has known Scar since the whale swam to his boat as a calf, with injuries to his head and dorsal fin, presumably caused by marauding pilot whales. He makes humming and clicking sounds to communicate with Scar, and in January the 10-year-old whale arrived for the first time with some much younger whales. Scar, who has reached the age where he ought to be off roaming, has not been seen since February.
Says Armour: “Deep down I felt that when he introduced us to the youngsters this January that was his way of saying goodbye.”
Photos courtesy of Peter G. Allinson.