Right whale ambassadors celebrate baby boom

The right whale calving season is ending on a positive note. As of this week, 22 right whales have been born in the warm waters off the Southeastern U.S. Coast.

It has been 15 years since 22 whales were born in a single calving season, which runs from November to April, says Julie Albert, director of the Right Whale Sighting Network at the Blue World Research Institute in Cocoa, Florida. Only about 370 right whales still exist. Right whales have been listed on the national Endangered Species list since 1970.

(Credit: NOAA Fisheries)

“With this species having such a small population, every single birth gets celebrated,” Albert says. “There are fewer than 70 breeding females, and they are getting older and older when they give birth for the first time. They are stretching out the intervals in which they have their calves.”

The Southeastern U.S. coast is a prime right whale birthing area, and the island has become central to efforts to save the creatures. The annual Right Whale Baby Shower, which marks the end of the calving season, will be held April 8 at the Tigre Island Room in Fernandina Beach. The event is hosted by the Amelia Island Whale Ambassadors, Inc., an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that seeks to educate the public about the plight of right whales. The entry fee is a suggested $20 donation.

“We have so much negative energy around the tragic deaths of right whales and the diminishing population that when we have these new babies, it’s a time for celebration,” says Candis Whitney, executive director of the Amelia Island Whale Ambassadors.

She calls the birth or 22 whales “fabulous” and says it gives people hope. The successful calving season “may be partially due to all the protection efforts that have gone into place by small grassroots organizations and many of the big non-governmental organizations that work so hard to protect the North Atlantic right whale.”

Right whales have experienced significant mortality since 2017, with more than 20% of the population being sick, injured, or killed, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The primary causes of the injury and death are entanglements in fishing gear and collisions with boats and ships.

However, in another bit of good news this year, only one death has been reported, Albert says.

“That doesn’t mean [deaths] are not happening. That is the only one we know about,” she says. “But, as far as we know, all the calves that were born in the last couple of months are doing pretty well.”

At one time, right whales numbered as high as 21,000, according to Oceana. Aggressive whaling in the 19th and early 20th centuries drove the species to near extinction. Whaling of the species was banned in 1935. Right whales can grow as long as 52 feet and weigh as much as 70 tons. Newborns are about 12 to 15 feet long and weigh about 2,000 pounds.

But, with a broad flat back and lacking a dorsal fin, the whales are difficult to see from boats and are frequently killed or seriously injured by boat strikes. Right whales also can become entangled in fishing lines.

The Amelia Island Whale Ambassadors has helped recruit volunteers who watch for the whales from shore. According to NOAA, sightings help scientists better track whale movements and take measures to protect whales. Albert holds a session to train volunteers each year after the Right Whale Festival, a two-day event held in November at Main Beach in Fernandina Beach.

“We have aerial survey teams going out every day from Nov. 15 to April 15, weather permitting,” Albert says. “But it’s important to have shore-based help because if the aerial survey can’t go up or can’t see well due to weather, we still have people who can watch for them. The whales come so close to shore.”

About one-third of right whale sightings are not picked up by the aerial surveys, she says.

“Especially in the [Amelia Island] area, there are a lot of ports clustered between northern Florida and southern Georgia. With the possibility of vessel strikes, it’s important to have as many eyes as possible,” she says.

About 165 Nassau County residents have attended the Right Whale Sighting Training.

Nassau County resident Kristy Smith participated in the training last year and was rewarded recently with her first sighting of a right whale.

“I felt awe, joy, gratitude,” Smith says of seeing a whale known as Millipede and her calf. “It was so powerful and humbling.”

The training she received was helpful, Smith says, because Millipede was hard to spot. Millipede was swimming quietly when Smith saw her. “It was hard to recognize, even though I had the training.”

When a right whale is spotted and verified, Albert alerts local contacts, such as port operators, harbor pilots and mariners. All are instructed to watch for the whales and keep a safe distance.

“It takes teamwork to protect these precious creatures,” Smith says. “These babies need more help. They need more advocacy. Every set of eyes helps and makes a difference.”

The end of the right whale birthing season doesn’t signal the end of advocacy. The Amelia Island Whale Ambassadors work year-round to educate and advocate for the species survival.

Public education about the plight of the right whales is a high priority. There’s still time to view a striking new exhibit at the Amelia Island Museum of History. The exhibit, sponsored by the Amelia Island Whale Ambassadors, runs through April 5. A presentation on right whales will also be held at the museum, 233 S. Third St., on March 4, 12 p.m., as part of the museum’s brown bag lunch series. Theresa Hartz of the Amelia Island Whale Ambassadors will provide an update on the 2026 calving season, the lessons learned and insights about individual whales.

The Right Whale Festival will be held Nov. 6-7 at Main Beach. The festive event includes educational displays on the right whales as well as craft and food vendors, music and other activities.