Rare right whale calf spotted with 38-year-old mother; season total rises to 24

In a remarkable development, scientists have confirmed the sighting of a previously unrecorded North Atlantic right whale calf near Quebec, bringing this season's total to 24, the highest since 2009. Researchers believe the calf's mother, Silt, gave birth in the warmer waters of the southeastern U.S. Despite this positive news, the North Atlantic right whale population remains critically endangered, with an estimated 380 individuals.