November 10, 2025 — North Atlantic right whales have returned to their calving grounds off Georgia earlier than expected. Or at least two of them did.
Anglers videoed the two endangered whales off Hilton Head, S.C., and Savannah Wednesday afternoon, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Two right whales were also reported near Cape Lookout, N.C., on Saturday but researchers couldn’t determine if they were the same whales.
“It is possible they are the same pair that was seen off Cape Lookout on Saturday,” DNR senior wildlife biologist Jessica Thompson told The Current GA. “The sighting documentation was similar. They had video that made it clear it was two adult right whales, but not clear enough to confirm ID. There was also an unconfirmed sighting at another location in N.C. of a single adult. No others have been seen in the Southeast yet. These are the early birds.”
The state marine mammal of Georgia, North Atlantic right whales are one of the most imperiled large whales, with a population estimated last month at 384 individuals. These bus-sized mammals migrate more than 1,000 miles each fall from Canada and New England to the Southeast. The waters off Georgia, north Florida and South Carolina are considered their core calving area, but they usually arrive in late November or early December.
Thompson, leader of the agency’s work with marine mammals, called the early sighting of these two uncommon but not unheard of. It did create an urgency to “make sure boaters know right whales are back and everyone is aware of the need to be vigilant.” She also encouraged boaters to report all sightings and stay at least 500 yards from any whale seen.