Gulf gets an unusual visit from two right whales

As frigid temperatures continue in the Northeast, who wouldn’t want to take a trip to the balmy shores of the Gulf Coast? For two North Atlantic right whales, this wanderlust wish has been fulfilled.

Koala and Curlew, two female right whales spotted last month off the east coast of Florida were spotted again on the other side of the state this past Sunday off Perdido Pass, near the Alabama-Florida border.

While it’s not unheard of for right whales to enter the Gulf, it is unusual: most of the approximately 370 remaining right whales spend their lives migrating between feeding grounds in New England and Canada and the species’ calving grounds along the coastlines of the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida.

Still, some right whales strike out on their own, with whales such as Pico and Mogul occasionally spotted as far away as the Azores, Iceland and France.

While this news is certainly exciting for those along the Gulf coast, this sojourn poses new risks for Curlew and Koala: because right whales so rarely travel into the Gulf’s waters, there aren’t the same education and outreach programs to ensure boaters go slow and to give these critically endangered marine mammals space. Boat strikes are one of the leading causes of death for right whales, so it’s important for boaters to know what to do if and when right whales are in town. Here’s a great resource from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration about what to do if you see a right whale.

And if you or your family are planning on taking a trip out on the water this week along the Gulf coast, check out the Whale Alert app to see where these two right whales were spotted last–and go slow and give them space if they happen to be nearby!