Two rare and majestic giants visited Flagler Beach last week, to the delight and awe of those residents lucky enough to spot them. Two North Atlantic right whales made their way up and down the coast on Thursday, well within sight of those standing on the beach.
These particular whales are believed to be a mother and calf – the mother being named Callosity Back. The pair moved slowly along the coast in Flagler Beach, with the calf appearing to play in the water around its mother.
Photo courtesy of Tony Caruso.
It’s not a terribly uncommon sight to see North Atlantic right whales from Flagler Beach; the giants make their way up and down the coast each winter. Experts say the annual migration is for calving purposes. But with just a few hundred of the species left on the planet, each passing-by of the whales represents a special and fleeting opportunity to see one of the largest animals on Earth.
If the mother whale is indeed Callosity Back (known officially as Catalog #3760), she was giving Flagler Beach residents a special show. The calf is believed to be the first she’s ever given birth to, making her the first right whale of the winter to become a first-time mom. According to the New England Aquarium, which tracks North Atlantic right whales, Callosity Back is 19 years old. The species is believed to live from 70 to 100 years.
Several research teams were on-hand on Thursday getting drone footage and data on the two whales. The Marineland Right Whale Project was at the beach, as was the Right Whale Sighting Network. Only a small number of licensed drone operators are legally permitted to fly in proximity to the whales due to protections by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Conserving Florida’s Giants
The two whales spotted off Flagler Beach, photographed in December in South Carolina. ⓒ Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute
The North Atlantic right whale is currently considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Populations initially plummeted before whaling was outlawed globally in the early 20th century. Data from the NOAA estimates that approximately 380 of the whales remain alive in the world, including just 70 or so females who are actively reproducing. Aside from a rebound to almost 500 whales in the 2010s, North Atlantic right whale populations have mostly stagnated for the last three-plus decades.
Despite living from Greenland to the Caribbean Sea, North Atlantic right whales are only believed to give birth to calves in the waters of Florida and Georgia. This makes those states’ protections for these gentle giants all the more important for their survival. According to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission, major threats to the North Atlantic right whale include vessel strikes, fishing gear entanglement, and pollution.
When a North Atlantic right whale is spotted, it’s critical to call the sighting in. Doing so can alert boaters nearby to keep a wide distance for the whales’ safety, as required by law. Numbers that can be called include 877-WHALE-HELP (NOAA) and 88-97-WHALE (Blue World Research Institute). Boaters can radio in their sightings to the U.S. Coast Guard on marine VHF Channel 16.
