Endangered North Atlantic right whale known in Florida found dead

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Year-old endangered North Atlantic right whale getting examined by FWC. CREDIT: FWCRI

A year-old endangered North Atlantic right whale, well-known to many Floridians, was found dead and suffered injuries typically seen from a vessel strike, including skull fractures and signs of blunt force trauma.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, the 1-year-old right whale was the calf of a mother named Pilgrim, identified as #4340.

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The carcass of an endangered North Atlantic right whale floating in the water with what appear to be two sharks swimming nearby. CREDIT: FWCRI

The endangered North Atlantic whale was found dead on Feb. 13 and was recovered after the animal’s body was seen floating about 20 nautical miles offshore of Savannah, Georgia.

The following day, authorities from the United States Coast Guard towed the carcass to the beach before biologists examined it on Feb. 15.

The calf and its mother were known to Floridians after spending about a month near central and south Florida last winter.

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Right whale Catalog #1802 ‘Legato’ and calf sighted approximately 16 nautical miles off Nassau Sound in Florida on December 31, 2023. Catalog #1802 is 36 years old, and this is her fifth calf. She last gave birth 13 years ago during the 2011 calving season. Photo taken by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission under NOAA permit #26919.

On Feb. 3, the newly independent-year-old right whale was off the coast of Melbourne, “engaging beachgoers,” said FWCRI. This would be the last time the endangered animal was seen alive.

FWCRI wants to remind everyone to call 1-877-942-5343 to report all dead, entangled or injured large whales. You can also report them to USCG. Click here to learn more about how to properly report an injured or dead whale.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered species of large whales. The biggest threats the species has had trouble enduring are commercial whaling, vessel strikes and getting entangled in fishing gear.

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On February 1, 2016, researchers took this aerial image of right whale catalog #4094 and her first calf. The pair were sighted approximately 5 nautical miles off Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Image credit: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, taken under NOAA research permit 15488.

The only known calving area for the North Atlantic right whale is found off the coast of Florida and Georgia. For this reason, the area has been designated as a right whale critical habitat by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries.

Between November and April is the only time you can find the endangered species off the Florida coast.

FWC has a Flickr photo album database showcasing the calving season for each year.

  • Click here to see the 2023-2024 North Atlantic right whale calving season album
  • Click here to see the NOAA Fisheries right whale sighting map
  • Click here to learn more about North Atlantic right whales
  • Click here to learn about guidelines for boaters to keep the endangered species safe

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