Endangered whale and calf wander into Florida inlet

MELBOURNE , Fla., Feb. 9 (UPI) -- An endangered whale and her calf lingered in a Florida inlet until Tuesday afternoon, after wandering into the body of water on Monday.

The twenty-eight-year-old North Atlantic right whale and her calf were spotted in the inlet by bystanders as NOAA Fish Southeast warned that boaters and others keep at least 500 feet away from the endangered whales.

Wildlife experts were confused as to why the whales swam into the inlet.

"In my 17 years of doing this, I have not seen them doing this inside of Sebastian Inlet," Julie Albert of Marine Resources council told Florida Today.

Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesperson Lenny Salberg said the behavior was "unusual" but added that the health of the whales was not a factor.

"These are very healthy whales," he said.

The whales lingered in the inlet until around 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday when they finally exited the water after making an attempt earlier in the day before turning back, according to the Brevard Times.

Right whales are some of the most endangered whales in the world according to the FWC and it is uncommon for them to leave the open waters as this mother and calf did.