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Right whale #1301 with her 2012 calf.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, NOAA Research Permit #15488
Right whale #1301 and her new calf were recently spotted on Feb. 9th about 7.5 miles east of Amelia Island, FL. At no more than 6-1/2 weeks old, her 6th calf appears to be underweight. Unfortunately, to see an underweight calf for this mom isn't unexpected. A history of unhealthy calves has plagued this particular mom. She gave birth to her first calf in 1989 and it survived for about a year. After a long break, she gave birth to her second calf, #3301, in 2003 - the only one to survive of the first 5 calves. Her subsequent calves born in 2006, 2008, and 2012 all died as well. The photo here is of #1301 and her 2012 calf, also underweight before it died. The new calf's health will be monitored and time will tell if this one survives.
#3301, her calf from 2003, is a male named Neptune. He is now 11 years old, of reproductive age, and was last spotted in Feb. 2012 off South Carolina.
