Newborn Whale Calves Spotted Off East Coast
Two newborn whale calves have been spotted swimming alongside their mothers in the Atlantic Ocean off the East Coast, bringing the season’s total to 19, officials said.
Video taken by the Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) shows two new moms, Skittle and Dog Ear, with their babies. The department said the two births brought to 19 the total number of North Atlantic right whale calves spotted off the coasts of Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas this season.
Skittle is at least 23 years old and last gave birth in 2010, according to Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC). She was spotted off the coast of Kure Beach, North Carolina, while Dog Ear was seen off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Officials encouraged boaters to slow down and use the Whale Alert app, reporting that “sadly” two juvenile whales were struck by vessels. One was found dead off the coast of Georgia on February 13, the state DNR said, while the other remained alive, though scientists are “concerned for its long-term health.” Credit: Georgia DNR/NOAA MMHSRP via Storyful
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