First North Atlantic right whale calves of season sighted
The first two North Atlantic right whale calves of this winter have been seen off the coast of Florida. With less than 500 whales surviving, every addition to the population is of vital importance.
Entanglement in fishing gear and collisions with boat traffic are the two major threats to this species, which saw its numbers decimated by centuries of whaling.
North Atlantic right whales give birth in the warmer waters of Florida and Georgia during the winter months before heading north to areas such as Cape Cod and Canada’s Bay of Fundy to feed. Latest sightings can be seen on the NOAA website.
