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Adopt Van Whalen!

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On Saturday, January 23rd 2021, while on a whale watch out of Kailua-Kona (Hawaii), I photographed a humpback whale and baby for quite some time. After returning home, I submitted some of the photos of her "fluke" (the underside of her tail) to a website called Happy Whale , per recommendation of the tour boat operator. Like fingerprints, flukes are unique and allow these magnificent ocean creatures to be identified and followed as they journey through the ocean.

I was excited to participate, and couldn't wait to hear "who" we'd spotted that day. I browsed other sightings nearby, and couldn't make a match myself, but didn't think too much about that. I received an email the other evening that the whale I'd spotted is a "new" whale - as in not named and tracked previously. I learned for a suggested minimum donation of five hundred to one thousand I can "name" the whale and track her as she's sighted in the future.

What started out as sort of a joke turned into an actual plan: I would ask, for my 42nd birthday, for donations. Once I hit $1000 (or more) I would make one large donation to Whales of Guerrero and name "my" whale. 42 is the answer to everything, after all, and what better to do with my birthday than raise funds for animal conservation? I know, I know, I usually raise money for a local animal shelter, but I thought I'd give this a try.

***If I do not raise $1000 I will refund all donations.*** I am starting it off with $200 of my own towards this goal.

So please, support me, support wildlife, and let's name this mama whale VAN WHALEN, because it's frigging hilarious. Happy birthday to me!

Organizer

Jenna Van Valen
Organizer
Vancouver, WA

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