3 more right whales, calves spotted off coast of Florida
(Wildlife Resources Division - Georgia DNR)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Three North Atlantic right whale calves were spotted swimming with their mama's off the northern coast of Florida and South Georgia this week.
NOAA Fisheries Service posted photos taken by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, and the Georgia Division of Natural Resources.
Mom 'Calvin' and her calf were seen swimming off the coast of Georgia. Calvin is 28-years-old and this is her 4th calf, according to NOAA.
'Echo' was spotted with her calf off Atlantic Beach, Florida. Echo is 24-years-old and this is her third calf. Her last calf was born 10 years ago.
'Echo' was spotted with her calf off Atlantic Beach, Florida. Echo is 24-years-old and this is her third calf. Her last calf was born 10 years ago.
Mom 'Arrow,' who is 18-years-old, was seen swimming with her second calf off Amelia Island, Florida. NOAA says this is her first calf since 2009.
NOAA says many on social media have been asking about North Atlantic right whale mother 'Derecha' and her calf that appeared to suffer a severe injury.
RELATED: Life-threatening injures to right whale calf likely from propeller; FWC investigates
"Unfortunately we have not seen the pair since Jan. 15."
They promise to update if they do see the pair.
Just last week, a right whale named Halo and her calf were seen swimming at Jetty Park in Port Canaveral by the crew of Fin & Fly Fishing Charters. The group also reportedly saw dolphins swimming near the whales.
"While on anchor today we had two Right Whales swim up to our charter, pretty cool!!" the business wrote on Facebook.
While seeing these whales in person is exciting, oceana.org reports that "scientists believe it to be endangered (highly vulnerable to extinction) and estimate the total numbers to be 400."
It was also named for a very unfortunate reason.
"The North Atlantic right whale has the unfortunate distinction of being named by the whaling industry because it was the 'right whale' to hunt. It was easy to harpoon and it floated after death, while some other species sunk."
Experts tells Florida Today that people need to give right whales their space.