Four whales, near extinction, spotted off Georgia coast
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GEORGIA, USA (WGCL) — An impressive sight off the beaches of Cumberland Island, Georgia. Four North Atlantic Right Whales were spotted.
The mammals were seen along the Georgia and Florida coasts. The pod consisted of two moms and two calves, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
North Atlantic Right Whales have been listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act since 1970, according to NOAA Fisheries division.
Whalers had hunted the mammals to the edge of extinction by the early 1890s. When two live calves were spotted this winter in the southeast, it was welcoming news to wildlife resource employees who track the whales.
The waters along the southeast United States are the only known calving grounds for the endangered whales. Researchers estimate there were approximately 409 whales at the end of 2018, according to NOAA fisheries data. It is also estimated that there are less than 100 breeding females left at the end of 2018.
DNR, NOAA and their partners are actively looking for more pods.
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