Right Whales
On February 1, 2016, researchers took this aerial image of right whale catalog #4094 and her first calf.
The pair were sighted approximately 5 nautical miles off Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
Image credit: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, taken under NOAA research permit 15488.
The North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis, is among the most endangered of the world's large whales. Historically depleted by commercial whaling, vessel strikes and fishing gear entanglements are now the largest threats to right whales. The coastal waters off Florida and Georgia are the only known calving area for North Atlantic right whales and these waters have been designated as right whale critical habitat by NOAA Fisheries. Right whales are typically sighted off Florida between November and April.
Image Gallery
North Atlantic Right Whale: A Photo Collection on Flickr
View images of juvenile and adult North Atlantic right whales.
About Right Whales
Learn about North Atlantic right whales and what to do if you spot one of these critically endangered animals.
FWC researchers participate in conservation efforts such as responding to strandings and entanglements, reducing vessel-whale collisions, and conducting aerial surveys to evaluate right whale populations and winter presence.
North Atlantic right whale resources including brochures, posters, and signs.