Right Whales Make a Visit to Fernandina Beach
Photo from Clearwater Marine Aquarium via News 4 Jax
Gentle Giants Offer a Reminder to Keep Our Oceans Clean
Spring is nearly here and with it comes the arrival of right whale calves. These giant babies and their mothers visited Fernandina Beach last week as they travel north for the warmer months. The duo spotted near Amelia Island was a thrilling sight for whale-enthusiasts and scientists alike, as fewer and fewer babies shave been born in the past few years. With the Florida-Georgia coast’s temperate waters acting as the nursing ground for this endangered species, it is important than ever that we keep our oceans clean and safe for their survival.
About the Right Whale
Photo from NOAA Fisheries
There are three types of right whales swimming in our oceans: the North Atlantic right whale, the North Pacific right whale, and the southern right whale, all named for their respective regions. Fernandina Beach’s waters are part of the North Atlantic right whale’s only calving area, which extends up to Cape Fear, NC and down to Cape Canaveral, FL. Calves are already about 14 feet long when born and can reach up to 52 feet when fully grown.
Once the whales give birth along the Florida-Georgia coast, they travel north to New England to forage. There, they enjoy eating plankton and krill, which they filter through their baleen. Though their prey is tiny, right whales can consume more than 2,500 pounds of food per day.
While swimming, the whales may come to the surface to socialize with other members of their pod. Other times, they may breach or slap the water with their tails and flippers for an impressive display. Some have even gone so far as to call the whales “acrobats”!
An Endangered Species
An educational display at the Right Whale Festival
With only about 400 North Atlantic right whales left in the wild today, these gentle giants have been deemed endangered since 1970. As the whale’s birth rate slows in recent years, it’s especially important to protect the calves.
The #GiveThemSpace campaign helps remind those operating boats to stay at least 500 yards away from mothers and babies to prevent injuring the whales. Also, as always, it is important to keep our beaches and oceans clean and free of pollution.
Fittingly, Fernandina Beach is also home to the annual Right Whale Festival, held every year in November. The festival is an important part of conservation efforts and shares information about the endangered species with more than 8,000 visitors each year.
To get involved, consider participating in the festival’s annual beach clean-up. Or, to learn more about protecting right whales, visit NOAA Fisheries.
Keeping Seafood Sustainable
We believe in maintaining our oceans and beaches for both whales and future generations. At Timoti’s, we’re proud to use environmental practices and offer wild-caught fish at all three of our locations. Visit today to discover just how delicious sustainably-caught seafood can be!