MRC's North Atlantic Right Whale Conservation Program: Injured Whale Spotted Again

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.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Injured Whale Spotted Again

The injured yearling spotted off Sebastian Inlet on January 21st was spotted by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources aerial survey team on Feb. 10th. The whale was located about 18.5 miles east of Blackbeard Island, GA. So, after cruising quickly south in January, the whale has turned and headed back north. The wounds at the base of the tail flukes are showing signs of healing, but the whale appears to be underweight. Photographs of the right flipper are still necessary to determine if the whale is currently entangled.