VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — An endangered North Atlantic right whale was spotted off Virginia's coast Saturday, a research team with the U.S. Navy announced on social media.
According to the Mid-Atlantic Whale Monitoring Project, Pico and her calf were found 60 miles southeast of Virginia Beach. She was last seen in December 2023 off North Carolina's coast.
The project said Pico is at least 22 years old, and this is her third calf. She is named after Pico Island in the Azores, where she was sighted in January 2009. Researchers say "her callosity pattern closely resembles the shape of that island."
Pico and her calf are among the more than 20 North Atlantic right whales that researchers have observed off Virginia's coast since May 22.
The project shared a social media post detailing its survey efforts on May 22, 25, and 26, resulting in the sightings of North Atlantic right whales, sei whales, humpback whales, and fin whales.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the North Atlantic right whale has been listed under the Endangered Species Act since 1970 with around 360 remaining. Their main threats include vessel strikes and fishing gear entanglements.
For more information about the whales, visit NOAA's website.
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