"Oh wow, do I have a story for you! This past winter I was gliding over the waters just outside Port Canaveral when I spotted something incredible — a North Atlantic right whale mom and her brand new calf swimming together right below me! The baby was tiny compared to her mama, but so strong. I watched them for a long time. These whales come down to Florida to give birth — and seeing that little one made me realize just how much we have to protect them. Today we're going to learn all about these amazing animals."
Percy's Sighting — Mom & Calf at Port Canaveral!
North Atlantic right whales are one of the most endangered large whales on Earth. Every winter, pregnant females travel to the warm, shallow coastal waters off Florida and Georgia to give birth. Port Canaveral, Jacksonville Beach, and the waters off Florida's northeastern coast are important calving grounds. Calves are born around 13–15 feet long and must stay close to their mothers for their first year. Spotting a mom and calf in Florida waters is both beautiful and bittersweet — only around 360 of these whales remain alive today.
