RIGHT WHALES NOW CALVING OFF THE COAST OF FLORIDA

February 17, 2005
Contacts: Allison Bozarth, 727.896.8626
Karen Parker, 386.758.0525

North Atlantic right whales have been spotted off Jacksonville Beach recently, according to researchers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

The only known calving ground for the right whale is located off the coasts of Florida and Georgia. From December through March, pregnant whales migrate from their northern feeding areas to the sheltered waters of the calving ground to give birth.

According to Alicia Windham-Reid, FWC marine biologist, “The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered large whales in the world. Only 300 animals remain in the western North Atlantic population.

“We want to discourage people from getting too close to the whales. These animals can act unpredictably with tail slaps and breaches (body out of the water). The female may also act aggressively if its calf is approached. These whales are best viewed from a safe distance,” Windham-Reid explained. “These animals are huge. Measuring up to 55 feet, an adult right whale can weigh 50 tons. A newborn calf can measure 15 feet at birth and weigh 2,000 pounds. This is good reason to remain a safe distance (500 yards) from the whales.”

Another good reason for keeping a safe distance from these marine mammals is that under the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50, Part 224.103, there is an established 500-yard no-approach boundary around the right whales. Illegal actions are subject to fines by the National Marine Fisheries Service. To report violations of this boundary, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office for Law Enforcement has a national hotline: 1-800-853-1964. For immediate response in the Jacksonville area, call the U.S. Coast Guard at 904-247-7311.

Whalers named these animals "right whales" because they considered them the "right" whales to hunt. They swam slowly in coastal waters, floated when dead, and yielded large amounts of oil and baleen. Right whales had been hunted to near extinction when hunting was banned in 1935.

Sighting of right whales or harassment of these animals can be reported by calling the FWC’s Wildlife Alert toll-free number 1-888-404-FWCC (1-888-404-3922). Cellular phone customers can call *FWC or #FWC.

For more information on right whales, go to Research.MyFWC.com.

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