Tracking Snow Cone: Whale and calf spotted off coast of Ponte Vedra Lodge

PONTE VEDRA, Fla. – A squad with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed a North Atlantic close whale named “Snow Cone,” and her calf, are swimming their mode done Northeast Florida waters.

The section sighting was reported archetypal by JaxAero aviator trainee Morgan Christiansen who was flying adjacent the seashore of the Ponte Vedra Lodge earlier 11:45 this morning.

Christianson and teacher Trent Walker said it intially appeared that the 2 whales mightiness beryllium stuck successful a net. FWC deployed a level to analyse the brace and said they were not entangled, successful danger, oregon successful distress. The FWC volition behaviour an aerial survey of the parent and calf but is not seeking to region the rope.

Snow Cone, was archetypal observed successful Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts successful March 2021. At that time, she was entangled successful respective ropes. Ocean wildlife responders were capable to shorten the trailing ropes but were not capable to region them entirely.

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In aboriginal December, Snow Cone was spotted again-- this clip disconnected the seashore of Cumberland Island, Georgia, and with a caller calf. The calf is not entangled but has been observed swimming in, through, and astir the ropes, according to eyewitness accounts.

Responders agreed that the ropes are abbreviated capable that the calf apt won’t go entangled if everything remains arsenic is, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said.

READ MORE: A parent close whale’s perilous odyssey

A spokesperson for FWC told News4JAX truthful acold this calving play the bureau has counted six mother/calf pairs successful Northeast Florida portion waters, including Snow Cone and her calf. Right whale calving play runs from December to March successful our waters.

Sky4 captured unthinkable images of the whales and a pod of dolphins that lingered nearby.

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