The Pró Franca Program, from Instituto Australis, identified the first sighting of a right whale accompanied by its semi-albino calf during the winter season this year on Itapirubá beach, last Sunday (7), in Santa Catarina.
The photos were published on the profile of the Program, focused on the conservation of the whale, which is currently threatened with extinction due to illegal hunting. It is the only species that breeds on the coast of Brazil – a period that lasts between July and November.
The arrival of the animals was celebrated by those responsible for the project. Semi-albino calves, which are usually males, are born with this color due to a genetic characteristic present in mother right whales with gray spots on their body. Generally, as they grow, they will acquire a darker color.
In recent years, the number of right whales and the time they spend on the south coast of the country has been changing, which increases the concern and care with the preservation of the species, since one of the causes of concern is the action of man.
The coast of Santa Catarina is considered an active breeding area for right whales during the winter, as they seek warmer waters, characteristic of the Atlantic Ocean, to mate and feed their young.
* Under supervision of Giulia Alecrim
Source: CNN Brasil
