The pair of North Atlantic right whales, Koala and Curlew, spotted off the Alabama Gulf Coast earlier this February have been spotted in an "out-of-habitat" location in the Florida Panhandle.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sent out a release near the beginning of April on the two female whales being spotted in waters between Panama City Beach and Destin. The release said they were seen "swimming in shallow waters" and both whales "appear to be in good health."

"While not unheard of, it's rare for North Atlantic right whales to be sighted in Gulf of America waters," the NOAA release states. "Since 2000, there have only been four other known instances of this occurring."

The release provides brief biographies about each whale. Koala is 16 years old (born in 2009) and is named for a "koala-shaped callosity pattern," — a rough patch of skin found on her head. Curlew is 14 years old (born in 2011) and is named because of a scar on her back "that resembles the beak of a curlew shorebird."

According to the release, photos from April last year showed a possibility of Curlew being pregnant but she had not yet been spotted with a calf. Currently a biopsy sample from Koala, collected earlier this season, is being tested "for the presence of pregnancy hormones."

The NOAA website's section on North Atlantic right whales reads, "There are approximately 370 individuals remaining, including about 70 reproductively active females."

Whale sightings can be reported to (877) 942-5343 (877-WHALE-HELP) or to the Coast Guard via VHF-FM CH 16. Note the time and location of the whales. NOAA recommends going slow near whales and taking photos and videos "if possible" without getting too close.

"Your reporting will help us continue to monitor their movements and health status," the NOAA release said.

As previously reported by GCM in an article from Feb. 5, Ruth Carmichael, senior marine scientist at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, said this species of whale is typically spotted in the Atlantic Ocean around New England, mid-Atlantic and the U.S. southeast.

As right whales are "slow moving animals," they are at a high risk of boat collisions. Carmichael said that if a vessel were to intentionally approach a whale, the driver could be charged with a violation of federal law.

To ensure safety of the whales and viewers, she said it is best to stay at least 500 yards, or "about five football fields," away from any whale sighted in the Gulf.

According to the NOAA website, North Atlantic right whales can weigh up to 140,000 pounds and measure up to 52 feet in length. Their lifespan is typically up to 70 years.

North Atlantic right whales have been considered endangered under the Endangered Species Act since 1970. The website said whaling is not currently a threat for this species but other dangers to the species involve "human interactions" such as getting struck by a vessel or tangled in fishing gear.

"Increasing ocean noise levels from human activities are also a concern since the noise may interfere with right whale communication and increase their stress levels," the website reads.

The website also states that this species of right whale has experienced "an ongoing Unusual Mortality Event" (UME) since 2017. UME, which impacts more than 20% of the population, consists of whales reported to be ill, sub-lethally injured, seriously injured and dead.

"Individuals are only counted once in the UME," the website reads. "Scientists estimate that only about one-third of North Atlantic right whale deaths are detected."

With the biggest threats mentioned by NOAA being entanglements in fishing gear, vessel strikes, climate change and ocean noise, the website encourages everyone to report whale sightings "from Virginia to Maine" at (866) 755-6622 and from "Florida to North Carolina" at the previously mentioned number (877-WHALE-HELP).

Sightings can also be submitted to the Whale Alert app and Coast Guard channel. The app and channel can be used for reports from any location.

The website encourages submissions to include date, location, contact information and "any other details or documentation about the observation" such as the number of whales and a description of which part of the whale was visible.