Officials are urging boaters to be careful after a mother whale and her calf were spotted in the shallow waters off Florida Bay Thursday.
The 43-foot right whale and her roughly 19-foot calf were seen between Cape Sable and Marathon, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. The marine mammals were seen in waters as shallow as 14 feet.
The North Atlantic right whale is an endangered creature, with only about 400 whales remaining, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Anyone who sees the whales is asked to call NOAA Fisheries at 877-942-5343, or the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 888-404-3922. Mariners on the water are asked to provide their exact coordinates should they see the whales.
