STATEMENT: Right whale calf and mother spotted in Florida waters

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. –  The 2024-2025 right whale calving season is in full swing. Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Georgia team spotted a newborn calf and mother swimming off the coast of Florida on Wednesday.

This whale baby was born to a right whale known as “Cashew”, who at 23 years old has now birthed her third calf. Cashew gets her name from her callosity pattern, raised skin patches found on the heads of right whales – which resembles a cashew nut. Over the course of her life, Cashew has faced and survived three entanglements. 

Every year right whale mothers like Cashew travel to the southeast states to give birth in the warmer coastal waters. This means that observers in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina are usually among the first to spot newborn right whales in their waters. 

There are only an estimated 370 North Atlantic right whales left on Earth, so every birth is crucial to the right whale population. The two leading causes of right whale deaths are entanglements in fishing gear and boat strikes. Last year, four right whales died due to boat strikes and one from entanglement. Mothers and calves are especially vulnerable to these accidents because they swim slowly and close to the surface, making it difficult to avoid collisions. 

In response Environment Florida’s Advocate, Mia McCormick issued the following statement:

“It’s always an incredible sight to see a newborn right whale calf and mother swimming off of Florida’s coast and enjoying their Atlantic home – congratulations to Cashew on her newest baby! 

“But we cannot forget that their population is suffering. It is a treasure to welcome right whales into the world – and it is our responsibility to keep them safe from speeding boats and dangerous fishing gear.”