COFFEE WITH A RANGER: RIGHT WHALES
Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach

Date: February 18, 2011 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Description:

Bring your coffee cup and enjoy free coffee and an exciting program on these magnificent creatures! The rangers will welcome author and publisher Frank Gromling who will present a 45-minute program about one of the world’s most endangered large mammals, the North Atlantic right whale. Frank, who has been a volunteer with the Marineland Right Whale Project since its inception in 2000, has monitored and photographed these 50-ton animals as they visit the coastal waters off Flagler Beach each winter. Pregnant right whales, often accompanied by other adults and curious juveniles, come to Northeast Florida waters to give birth to calves. Coming close to shore, the whales are easily visible along the coast, even without binoculars. With only about 450 or so right whales remaining today, helping to save these animals from extinction is an important conservation project. Frank Gromling has been involved in every aspect of the project along a 70-nautical mile stretch of coast. His interest and experience led him to write a book to educate the public about the plight of the North Atlantic right whale and to highlight the tremendous work being done by citizen-volunteers. Frank’s Whales, a first hand account of what it is like to participate in this land-based project, is an easy and informative book for anyone who wants information about the whales and how volunteers can make a difference in scientific efforts to conserve natural assets. The book will be available for purchase at the presentation.