Be on the Lookout, Out of Habitat Adult Female Right Whales on the Move in the Northern Gulf of America

The public and mariners asked to report sightings to the whale hotline

Key Message:

NOAA and partners are receiving multiple reports of two adult female endangered North Atlantic right whales who are out-of-habitat and nearshore in the Florida Panhandle between Panama City Beach and Destin. Named Koala and Curlew, the whales are swimming in shallow waters and both appear to be in good health. While not unheard of, it's rare for North Atlantic right whales to be sighted in Gulf of America waters. Since 2000, there have only been four other known instances of this occurring.

Biologists are working with partners and law enforcement to raise awareness about the animals' presence. The public and mariners are asked to report all sightings immediately to our hotline (877-WHALE-HELP) so we can monitor their movements and body conditions. Please give whales space and keep a safe distance (at least 500 yards is the law) for their sake and yours.

How you can help Koala and Curlew:

• Keep a close lookout for whales in the water. Right whales can be difficult to spot at the surface, putting them at increased risk for vessel collisions
• Report all sightings immediately to 877-WHALE-HELP ((877) 942-5343)
• Note the time and location
• Take photos and videos if possible, but please do not approach closer than 500 yards
• Go slow (e.g., 10 knots) when whales are in the vicinity

How to identify right whales:

• Look for black/dark patches, whitewater, and splashes. Right whales tend to swim just below the surface and rest at the surface, making them difficult to spot.
• Shiny black skin, like killer whales and manta rays (some also have a black and white belly pattern).
• Stocky bodies and a broad, flat back with no dorsal fin.
• Wide, paddle-shaped flippers and a tail/fluke with smooth edges.
• V-shaped blow.

• Their heads have a black and off-white pattern that is unique to their species. Lumpy, rough skin patches, called callosities, appear light in color due to a small crab-like creature, called cyamids, living on the patches.

Your reporting will help us continue to monitor their movements and health status.

Background on Koala and Curlew

Right whales #3940 "Koala" and #4190 "Curlew", are both adult females who could have been pregnant when they first came to the Southeast U.S. this calving season, although neither has been seen with a calf previously. Neither has been previously seen in the Gulf.

Right whales are given ID numbers and catalogued by the New England Aquarium . (search "Find a Whale" ).

Koala (ID #3940)

• 16-year-old (born in 2009) named for a koala-shaped callosity pattern (i.e., the unique, rough, and raised patches of skin found on the heads of right whales).
• She was biopsied by field teams earlier in the season, and that sample is being analyzed for the presence of pregnancy hormones.

Curlew (ID #4190)

• 14-year-old (born in 2011) named for a scar on her back that resembles the beak of a curlew shorebird.
• Photogrammetry assessment results from imaging in April 2024 showed a high probability that she was pregnant at the time. Has not yet been seen with a calf.

Image 1. North Atlantic right whales Koala and Curlew swimming off Stuart, Florida on January 12, 2025. Taken by Blue World Research Institute (@blueworldresearch), Joel Cohen, under NOAA permit #26562.

Image 2. Koala and Curlew swimming offshore of Cape Romain Lighthouse, South Carolina on November 11, 2024. Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, taken under NOAA permit #26919. Funded by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

Image 3. A map showing sightings of Koala and Curlew off the West coast of Florida during March and April 2025. Credit: WhaleMap.org

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  • Text GULFRECFISH to 888777
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Permits Mailbox: The Permits Office in St. Petersburg, Florida, now has a Permits mailbox in the front lobby (263 13th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701). You can now drop off original permits for permit transfers. Envelopes with information labels will be provided so that your documents can be attached to the correct application. The mailbox will be checked daily. For more information, contact the Permits Office at 877-376-4877.

Contacts:

Quick Glance Contact List for the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office

Media Contact: Allison Garrett, 727-551-5750

Recreational Fishing Coordinator: Sean Meehan, 727-385-5202

Red Snapper Communications Specialist: Lauren Westcott 727-249-5881