Endangered Right Whales: New Calves Spotted Off Florida

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Two endangered right whales have been spotted with newborn calves off Florida's Atlantic coast, a rare sighting that has brought a bit of hope to a species that has fewer than 400 members.

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Caterpillar, a first-time mom, has recovered from serious injuries from a previous ship strike that left her scarred and initially raised doubts about her ability to carry a pregnancy.

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The second mother, Blackheart, has returned to motherhood after an unusually long 12-year gap between births.

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In contrast, female right whales now give birth only every seven to ten years, instead of the healthy three-year interval seen in the past.

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One of the reasons females calve less often or not at all is due to the stress caused by entanglement in fishing gear and collisions with boats and ships.

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Right whales often swim near the surface but are often so spread out and swimming so slowly that they can be very difficult to spot from a boat.

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The good news arrived early this season when another whale mom and baby were seen near Amelia Island on December 9. That brings the count to three pairs of moms and babies seen so far

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These whales share our coastal waters, and we all play a part in keeping them safe.

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Being careful when we are at sea can really make a difference in helping whale moms to raise their babies safely.

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