Right whale population grows 4% but extinction remains a threat

Associated Press

BOOTHBAY HARBOR, Maine (AP) — One of the rarest species of whale in the world has increased slightly in population, encouraging conservationists and leading to a new call to protect the giant animals. The North Atlantic right whale plummeted in population in the 2010s. The whales, which are vulnerable to ship collisions and entanglement in fishing gear, fell to fewer than 360 individuals by the early 2020s. A group of researchers that studies the whales said Tuesday that the population increased to an estimated 372 in 2023. They call the new trend “heartening news” in a statement, but warn the whales are still in dire need of protection.