More right whales seen off Georgia; no calves yet

A little good news emerged this week about North Atlantic right whales, in the midst of what has been a very slow season for whale sightings off the coast of Volusia and Flagler counties.

An aerial survey team spotted a pod of nine right whales swimming east of Jekyll Island, Georgia, on Feb. 15, said Barb Zoodsma, a right whale biologist with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries. The endangered whales were swimming in the Gulf Stream about 30 miles offshore.

Right whales have traditionally migrated to the coasts off Florida and Georgia from Nova Scotia and New England each winter for a winter calving season, with pregnant females accompanied by young juveniles and a few male whales. But over the last two years, the number of whales seen offshore has plummeted.

So far this winter, a total of 12 whales have been seen, but so far no calves have been sighted, alarming news for the critically endangered whales.

If no calves are seen off the coast this winter, it would be the worst calving season on record, said Jim Hain, senior scientist with Associated Scientists Woods Hole and program leader for the Marineland Right Whale Project.

"There was one season back in 2000 where we only had one calf born," Hain said. "The question now is whether this is going to be worse than 2000 or what's going to happen. It's just a big question in the minds of everyone, really."

Scientists are especially concerned about the decline in births, because 18 right whale deaths have been reported since last April in the waters off Canada and the United States. The population of North Atlantic right whales is estimated at about 450, with about 100 of those being females of calving age. 

Eight of the nine whales seen off Jekyll Island have been verified against the New England Aquarium photo identification database of the known right whales. The whales can be uniquely identified by the patches of white skin behind their head.

The whales were spotted by an aerial survey team from the Sea to Shore Alliance, working with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Zoodsma said. The whales were see at the eastern extent of the area being searched daily for whales.

One of the whales appeared to be injured and emaciated, Georgia officials reported.

A pair of whales also was seen earlier this winter off St. Simon's Island, also in Georgia.

And another right whale has been seen in the Gulf of Mexico. The whale was sighted again last weekend off Cedar Key.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also flies an aerial survey to watch for whales.  The Marineland Right Whale Project discontinued its aerial survey program this year for a number of reasons, Hain said. They sold the airplane and now plan to use drones to respond to get photos whenever a shore watcher reports a whale sighting.

Last year, only four right whales were seen off the Florida coast, and three of those had calves. Later in the spring two other whales were seen off Cape Cod with calves, making a total of five calves seen.

NOAA is reminding the public to be on the lookout for the whales and to keep their distance if a whale is seen, said Allison Garrett, a spokeswoman for NOAA Fisheries southeast  region.

"It seems like this year right whales could be anywhere this winter," said Zoodsma. Mariners and boaters, especially, are asked to "keep their eyes open" and report all whale sightings.

"Obviously the more eyes out there reporting observations are helpful," she said.

Whale sightings can be reported to 877-942-5343 or 888-979-4253 (97-WHALE ).

Read more about right whales 

North Atlantic right whales are considered critically endangered. Here are other facts about the whales:

• Some migrate south to Florida and Georgia from the waters off Nova Scotia and the Bay of Fundy.
• Weigh up to 79 tons.
• Grow up to 50 feet in length.
• Calves are about 14 feet long at birth.
• Have raised patches of rough skin on their heads that appear white because of the lice that live on the skin.
• Live at least 70 years.
• They are Baleen whales, and eat zooplankton.

Right whale facts