Georgia’s state animal is the northern right whale, which is endangered with only about 350 living. It was hunted for its blubber and bones, almost leading to extinction by the end of the 19th century. The right whale is a gentle giant that feeds primarily on crustaceans and migrates to the Georgian coast to give birth. Sightings are frequent during the winter birthing season, and researchers monitor their activity to reduce fatalities in collisions with ships.
Georgia’s state animal is the northern right whale, Eubalaena glacialis, a member of the baleenidae, or baleen, whale family. Georgia does not have a state land mammal. The right whale is the only large whale native to Georgia. Her calving grounds are within 15 miles of the Georgia coast. The right whale became the state animal of Georgia in 1985.
According to tradition, the right whale was so called by the whalers of the North Atlantic waters because it was the “right whale” to be hunted. The right whale slowly swims close to the surface of the water and floats after being killed. This whale was coveted for its abundant blubber and bones for the production of whale oil, soap, corsets, hairbrush handles, and umbrellas. The species was nearly driven to extinction by the end of the 19th century.
By 1935, the right whale population had declined to alarming levels, making them one of the rarest whales in the world. The US government declared the right whale an endangered species in 1970; Georgia listed the creature in the Georgia Endangered Wildlife Act of 1973. As of 2011, Georgia’s state animal was still endangered, with estimates of only about 350 living right whales. Whaling is illegal in the area, so most right whale deaths and injuries occur from collisions with vessels and entanglement in fishing gear.
The right whale is a gentle giant of the North Atlantic seas, reaching 50 feet (15.2 m) in length and weighing 100 metric tons (90 tons) at maturity. Females are larger than males and give birth to one calf every three to four years. The right whale feeds primarily on crustaceans such as krill, copepods, and plankton, filtering out small invertebrates through their comb-like keratin plates that act as teeth.
Whales spend their summers in the cool north coast waters of the North Atlantic, from Cape Cod in Massachusetts to the Canadian Maritimes. In winter, the creatures migrate to the Georgian coast to give birth. Their migratory corridor converges with the waters of the commercial fishing industry. This, coupled with the amiable and placid nature of the whales and the fearlessness of the vessels, results in incidents that further reduce the right whale population.
Sightings of the Georgia state animal are frequent along the coast during the winter birthing season. Georgia State Survey Teams conduct airborne surveys of right whale migration and occurrence in North Atlantic waters. Researchers photograph and identify whales in an effort to monitor their activity and reduce fatalities in collisions between whales and ships. With increased awareness of the tenuous whale population and efforts to protect Georgia’s state animal, researchers believe the right whale species will last.
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