Right Whales Spotted Near Daytona Beach … Spring Break!

Photo credit: Eatsleepplaybeaufort.com

Just in time for Spring Break!

The number of right whale sightings have been up over the past month along the Florida coast, near Daytona Beach, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) wants folks to know – give the whale’s need their space.

NOAA has been taking to the skies with banner planes to let beach goers know to avoid the whales.  They’re even taking to Twitter to enlist social media’s assistance. According to NOAA spokesperson Allison Garrett, they’re asking people who do see the banner to take photos and tag NOAA Fisheries, using the hashtag #WhalesNeedSpaceToo

Federal laws protect marine mammals in the wild from interference by man. This is for the animals’ protection, as well as man’s safety.

“We’re trying to educate people,” said Jim Hain, a right whale scientist who heads up the Marineland Right Whale Project. “You don’t want to put yourself into any kind of situation where there’s going to be any kind of risk.”

So you crazy Spring Breakers, don’t mess with the right whales.

Check out the full story from the Daytona Beach News-Journal.