PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — A right whale and her calf were spotted off Ponte Vedra Beach on Saturday, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.
The adult whale Catalog #1425 'Butterfly', who is at least 43 years old, was seen with her fifth calf. FWC said Butterfly last gave birth during the 2014 calving season.
Survey teams said beachgoers may have also seen the 1-year-old calf of Catalog #1208 earlier this week when she flipped over to show off the distinctive white markings on her stomach off St. Augustine Beach.
FWC said most North Atlantic right whales don't have any markings on their stomachs and are often solid black.
Right whale calves often separate from their mothers a year after birth, so the calf is newly without its mama.
Anyone who spots a right whale offshore is asked to report it to the NOAA Fisheries hotline at 1-877-WHALE-HELP which is (877) 942-5343, or the Florida-based volunteer sighting network hotline operated by Blue World Research Institution at 1-888-97-WHALE which is (888) 977-4253.
For a look at recent whale sightings on the First Coast, CLICK HERE.