North Atlantic right whales have had a bumper baby boom, with 17 calves born this season.
Each season, right whale mothers travel to the warm waters off the U.S. coasts of Florida and Georgia to calf. Although 17 is a bumper figure that exceeds the total of the last three years combined, it is sadly not as good news as it should be.
Historically we have seen calving numbers reach as high as 39. Unfortunately, with only 360 right whales left and less than 90 breeding females around, not only is every calf precious, but also every calf that reaches maturity.
Sadly, right whales are still dying in large numbers due to accidents with vessels and entanglement in fishing gear.
You can stay informed about the plight of right whales here or keep updated on all the mothers and calves via NOAA here.