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Fwc Fish And Wildlife Research Institute issued the following announcement on Dec. 30.
Calves 6, 7, and 8!
Right whale aerial surveys have been working around foul weather conditions in recent weeks, but the effort led to THREE new mother-calf pair sightings off NE Florida yesterday, December 29, 2022.
Right whale Catalog #1701 ‘Aphrodite,’ #2029 ‘Viola,’ #1812 ‘War,’ and their newborn calves were sighted between 4-11NM off Amelia Island, FL. Catalog #1701 is 36 years old, and this is her 7th calf. Catalog #2029 is 33 years old, and this is her 4th calf. Catalog #1812 is at least 35 years old, and this is her 7th calf. These females last gave birth between 7-12 years ago.
Healthy and robust right whales can give birth every three years: Females nurse for a year, recover for a year, and are pregnant for a year. Each calf requires a large energetic investment from the mother. When a female’s fat stores are severely depleted or her stress levels and body condition are affected by human-caused injury, then the recovery period is extended, and future calving is delayed. Currently, right whales are giving birth every 7-10 years, on average, instead of every three years. This impacts the ability of the species to recover and, with about 70 calving females in the population, every mother and calf are critically important.
Mother-calf pairs spend a lot of time resting at or near the surface where they are vulnerable to vessel strike. Boaters are urged to post a lookout, go slow, and avoid boating in the dark and when visibility is poor. If spotted, never pursue whales. #GiveThemSpacePlease report all right whale sightings to 1-877-WHALE-HELP (877-942-5343) or to the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF Ch. 16.
Right whale aerial surveys are a large collaborative effort funded by USACE, USCG, U.S. Navy, GADNR and NOAA Fisheries. In addition to calf counts (reproductive success), one of the main goals of these surveys is to monitor the seasonal presence of right whales in the calving grounds. Check for recent sightings on https://whalemap.org/ or using the Whale Alert App.
Additional guidelines for boaters: https://myfwc.com/research/wildlife/right-whales/boaters/
Original source can be found here.
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