A lot of people know Georgia’s state fruit – the peach, state bird – the brown thrasher, or state vegetable – Vidalia onion. What many people may not know is Georgia’s state marine mammal, the North Atlantic right whale. With a population of less than 400 adults and calves, this right whale species is the most endangered large whale species on earth. Georgia just happens to be home to part of the right whale’s calving grounds.
For a number of reasons, their large size – between 45-60 feet, slow surface-skimming feeding and high blubber content, the North Atlantic right whale was a favorite for whalers. This period severely reduced their numbers but these days ship strikes are the most common problem. From 1970 to 2006, more than a third of all North Atlantic right whale deaths were attributed to ship collisions. To that end, tracking the whales has become a key to their survival and potential recovery. Automatic Identification System (AIS) technology transmits information about their whereabouts and reminds ships of speed restrictions during calving season.
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