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Whale spotted swimming with calf off the coast of Florida
(Credit: Justin Rush)
FLAGLER BEACH, Fla. - Incredible drone footage shows an endangered North Atlantic right whale and her calf swimming off of Florida's east coast along with several dolphins.
Justin Rush told FOX 35 he spotted the whales and dolphins off the coast of Flagler Beach on Saturday.
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Rush used his drone to capture footage of the mom and baby frolicking in the water as several dolphins surrounded them.
"I can not believe we were able to see and capture this footage of the North Atlantic Right Whales off the coast of Flagler Beach today," Rush wrote on Facebook. "This is apparently the mother and baby. They stay close to the surface because the calf can not hold its breath as long (Or that's what the internet says)."
(Courtesy: Justin Rush)
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It's the second time in two weeks that a whale and calf were spotted swimming with dolphins.
Earlier this month, Betty Gonzalez spotted a right whale and her calf just off the coast of Melbourne, along with what appeared to be a pod of dolphins.
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According to NOAA, North Atlantic right whales are one of the world's most endangered large whale species, with only about 400 remaining in the wild. They have been listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act since 1970.
Entanglement in fishing gear and vessel strikes are the leading cause of death for the whales, experts said.