First baby humpback whale this year seen off Washington island. See it swim with mom
The first baby humpback whale of the season has been spotted in the Salish Sea off Washington, photos show.
A whale watching tour agency, Eagle Wing Tours, reported seeing the calf April 18 off San Juan Island, the Pacific Whale Watch Association said in a news release.
It was with its mom, a humpback whale named Black Pearl.
“It’s always fun to see which mom and calf will make it back first,” the association’s executive director Erin Gless said in the release. “Black Pearl tends to spend her summers near north Vancouver Island. This year we were lucky enough to spot her in the Salish Sea.”
The association estimated the calf is about three to four months old.
Black Pearl has birthed at least three baby humpback whales, the association said.
Every year, humpback whales travel long distances to find warmer waters near Hawaii, Mexico and Central America to mate and give birth to calves, according to the association and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The marine mammals then travel thousands of miles to cooler waters in the summer to feed, NOAA reported.
The Salish Sea runs between Washington and British Columbia, Canada.
This story was originally published April 24, 2024 at 11:40 AM with the headline "First baby humpback whale this year seen off Washington island. See it swim with mom."
