MRC's North Atlantic Right Whale Conservation Program: First Calf of Season Missing

Visit our Program webpage for current information about
the North Atlantic Right Whale Program.

The Marine Resources Council's Right Whale Monitoring Program was established in 1995 to reduce human impacts to the endangered North Atlantic right whale. Citizens on the east coast of Florida report land‑based sightings of right whales to our hotline (1‑888‑97‑WHALE). This information is passed on to local ship traffic to avoid ship strikes, which account for over one‑third of documented right whale deaths in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

First Calf of Season Missing

We're sad to report that the mother of this season's first calf was recently spotted by an aerial survey team with another adult, but not with her calf. This 29-year-old has had a total of 5 calves (including this year's). In addition to losing her 2012 calf, she also lost her previous two calves. A close eye will be kept on Half-Note (#1301) and photos will be analyzed to confirm the loss of her 2012 calf.