Mother and Calf Right Whale Sighted in the SE US

Exciting news! The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's aerial survey team spotted a mother and calf right whale yesterday, 20 December, just off the Southern Georgia coastline. The identification of the mother is pending. Water temperatures in our area remain a bit warm, but the whales are headed south!

The 2011 season report for the Marineland Right Whale Project is now available on the Project website, www.aswh.org. The link is located toward the bottom.

Right Whales Sighted in the SEUS

The aerial survey teams to the north of us are beginning to see right whales in the Southeast US. On 15 December, two adult/juveniles were confirmed off of the South Carolina coast and two adult/juveniles a few miles east of St. Simons Island, GA. Our temperatures this December are significantly warmer than last year, no doubt influencing a later arrival for the whales. Nevertheless, we are ready!

The Project’s AirCam made its first flight of the season yesterday, 16 December. We flew a 3 nmi and a 1 nmi line between Matanzas and Ponce Inlets. We saw no whales, but did spot a manta ray on the 3 nmi line east of Daytona Beach. It’s unusual to see one so late in the year.