Endangered right whales are back in Florida
Fewer than 400 of the species remain
One of the world’s most endangered whales species is off to a bright start in 2024.
At least two North Atlantic right whale calves are already spouting off in North Florida’s nearshore waters, as they and their mammas head toward the Space Coast on their typical migratory trek to southern waters.
But with fewer than 400 right whales remaining, the nine born so far this calving season are less than a fifth of what conservationists say needs to be born yearly to keep the species afloat.
“It’s estimated that in order to see the population grow we’d like to see 50, and there’s no way that’s going to happen,” said Julie Albert, right whale sighting network coordinator for for the nonprofit Blue World Research Institute in Cocoa.
Two mother and calf pairs were seen recently offshore of Jacksonville and a third pair offshore of Georgia.
Then on Wednesday, the ninth right whale calve of the 2024 calving season was seen off Altamaha Sound in Georgia, with its mother, named “Swerve.” The mother is at least 37 years old, and this is her sixth calf.
She last gave birth eight years ago, state biologists say.
So far this winter, 47 North Atlantic right whales have been sighted between North Carolina and Florida, including the nine mothers with calves, 21 females and eight males, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Right whales were hunted almost to extinction prior to the 20th century, primarily for their oil and blubber.
Ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear are now among the biggest threats to the species, so biologists urge vessels to go slow and fishermen to use caution when in the same shipping lanes where the whales are known to travel.
“Right now, there are none that are dying of old age. They are either being hit by boats or entangled in fishing gear,” said Gilbert Brogran, a campaign director for the nonprofit Oceana.
“The cheapest option that’s out there is (vessels) slowing down,” Brogan said of ways to save the species.
Right whale births have ranged from none to 39 over the past 15 years. Their calving season peaks December through March.
“It’s certainly better than zero,” Albert said of the nine calves so far. “I think every single female (right whale) that’s in the southeast has the potential to get pregnant.”