The North Atlantic right whale is considered critically endangered, with an estimated only 340 whales of this species remaining.
Unfortunately the 2025 North Atlantic right whale calving season, which runs from mid-November to mid-April, saw a relatively low number of new calves this season- 11 calves.
COMING SOON: October 31st, 2025, Dr. Michael Moore, scientist, veterinarian and North Atlantic right whale expert from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution will be the honored speaker at the Amelia Island Right Whale Festival’s Expert Luncheon. Open to the public.
Check www.rightwhalefestival.com for tickets.
Beginning July 18th, the book “We Are All Whalers” written by Dr. Moore will be available locally at the Story & Song Bookstore, 1430 Park Ave, Fernandina.
In anticipation of Dr. Moore’s visit to Amelia Island, there will be sponsored book discussions of his book, “We Are All Whalers” hosted by Story and Song Bookstore. Dates are Sept 16, 2025 from 10am-11:30 and/or Sept 25, 2-3:30.
Please RSVP to cwhitney@ameliawhales.org to save your seat.
Right Whale News
Reporting from Fernandina Beach, Florida where right whale calving season begins in mid-November and runs through mid-April.
Great news! 3 new 
North American right whale calves have been born in the past few weeks!
Also there have been reports that 18 right whales, including 14 potential moms have been identified on their way south to our winter birthing waters off the SE US coastline from Nova Scotia. With fewer than 70 reproductively active females, this is exciting news.
Congrats to this year's new mothers- Palmetto, Horton, and Juno!!!!
Palmetto is at least 35 years old, and this is her sixth documented calf. Her calves from 2005 (#3850) and 2020 (#5070), both male, have been seen in recent years.
Much like her previous calves, mama Horton has suffered from fishing gear entanglements. She had two previous calves in 2007 and 2010, but they are sadly presumed dead. Her 2007 calf was a male right whale #3791 named “Truffula.” He was unfortunately seen in poor condition in May 2016, emaciated and with injuries consistent with a fishing gear entanglement. He has not been seen since September 2016. Horton’s 2010 calf, #4090, was seen entangled in gillnet gear in September 2011 and was not seen again.
Juno is at least 38 years old and this is her eighth documented calf—her last known calf was born in 2020. Juno was first sighted in 1986 in the southeastern United States with a calf. Interestingly, nearly all of her sightings have been with a calf.
Each fall, some right whales travel more than 1,000 miles from their feeding areas in the waters off New England and Canada to the shallow, coastal waters of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and northeastern Florida. The southeastern United States is the only known area where right whales regularly give birth and nurse their young.
Get into the spirit of wonder by watching “Spindle” and her calf… https://youtu.be/7rNLXb514sw