NPR

Endangered Species Observers Have Spotted The First Right Whale Calf Of The Season

The sighting is a glimmer of hope for a species that has seen a hard few years: 19 right whales died in 2017 and 2018, and not a single North American right whale calf was seen last season.

There is a happy corner of the Internet today, and it is celebrating the first North Atlantic right whale calf sighting of the season. The news is a big deal, considering the fact that the North Atlantic right whale is critically endangered, its total population is only about 450 and not a single right whale calf was spotted last season.

"The weather outside may be frightful, but endangered species observers. According to the post, the whales were spotted moving north near the entrance to the St. Johns River off Florida's coast. Researchers had spotted the mother off the coast of Georgia days before.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR6 min readInternational Relations
What To Know About A Possible Israeli Military Offensive In Rafah
In Gaza's southernmost city, where more than a million Palestinians have sought shelter and where aid groups have centralized operations, worries have grown over a possible Israeli military operation.
NPR10 min read
Happy Arbor Day! These 20 Books Will Change The Way You Think About Trees
Trees communicate. They migrate. They protect. They heal. We climbed into the NPR archives to find some of our favorite arboreal fiction, nonfiction, and kids' lit — get ready to branch out.
NPR2 min readAmerican Government
Amazon Warehouse Workers In Alabama Might Get A Third Try At Unionizing
Federal officials threw out the first vote, ruling that Amazon improperly interfered. The results of the second vote remain inconclusive. The federal government now determines what happens next.

Related Books & Audiobooks