Regulators and conservationists have welcomed the arrival of 18 new North Atlantic right whale calves as they continue to push for the endangered species’ recovery.
The whales’ calving season stretches from mid-November through mid-April, but already the number of mother-calf pairs has surpassed the 11 documented the previous season.
“We’re starting 2026 right with some great news from the 2025–2026 North Atlantic right whale calving season,” Oceana Canada said in a 6 January social media post.
The North Atlantic right whale population has slowly increased since 2020, when researchers estimated that there were just 358 individual whales left in the wild. In October 20205, the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium estimated that the population had gradually grown to 384 individuals. The consortium also found the positive news that it had not detected any right whale mortalities in 2025.
U.S. regulators keep a close eye on the whales in the South Atlantic, where they congregate throughout the calving season, to track how many calves will be joining the endangered population.
“Every calf is critical for endangered North Atlantic right whales,” Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division said in a 7 January social media post.
The large number of calves being spotted this season is another positive sign for the whales.
“So far this season, 18 North Atlantic right whale calves have been spotted in their southern U.S. calving grounds by U.S. survey teams – that’s already more than were spotted in all of the entire 2024/25 calving season!” Fisheries and Oceans Canada said in a social media post. “Even better, about half of these moms often visit Canadian waters, and we’re excited to welcome them and their calves in the Gulf of St Lawrence this spring.”
