PHOTOS: SeaWorld and Other Marine Mammal Experts Attempt to Save Critically Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale Calf

A team located a female North Atlantic right whale and her injured right whale calf off Fernandina Beach, Florida on January 17, 2020. Biologists didn't want to get too close until verifying this was the mom/calf pair.

An aerial support crew soon provided confirmation and on-water assessment, giving the on-site veterinarians, including SeaWorld’s Dr. Hendrik Nollens, enough information to determine that antibiotics would benefit this whale. The team was able to remotely administer the drugs with the hopes of staving off infection. Now biologists will continue to monitor the calf during routine aerial surveys. The calf’s prognosis remains poor.

Aerial photos and video are allowing medical and whale experts a chance to examine changes in the wounds and assess the calf's overall behavior, condition, and health over time.

This was a huge effort made possible by many experts from partner agencies all over the country including the  field teams made up of FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, the Wildlife Resources Division - Georgia DNR, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, SeaWorld, Blue World Research Institute and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and external consultants from across the country that provided technical assessment of the injuries.

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PHOTOS ON BOARD: © NOAA Fisheries. PHOTOS OF WHALES: © FWC