An aerial survey of marine wildlife in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument turned up an unexpected but very welcome sight.
As CBS reports, the researchers from the New England Aquarium were pleasantly surprised that among the 1,000 marine animals recorded was a fin whale and her newborn calf. The monument is a protected area of nearly 5,000 square miles in the North Atlantic that's home to underwater canyons and an array of unique marine species.
Rare sighting alert! 🛩️ 👀 On a recent aerial survey over the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument,...
Posted by New England Aquarium on Wednesday, August 6, 2025
Past surveys of the area's wildlife have shown other endangered whale species, like the blue whale, but it's a rare treat to catch sight of the fin whale. Assistant research scientist Kate Laemmle described the significance of the sighting in a statement: "Seeing an endangered fin whale and its calf is a rare occurrence."
The fin whale takes its name from the distinct hooked dorsal fin on its back. After the blue whale, it's the largest mammal on Earth, with adults weighing up to 80 tons and reaching up to 80 feet in length, according to NOAA. Like their larger cousin, they are baleen whales, meaning they have plates rather than teeth to filter and feed upon vast quantities of krill. They fulfill a key ecological role through nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration.
The fin whale is endangered because of the long-term impact of commercial whaling and from bycatch. Because the whales are slow to breed, it takes several years to reach maturity, and females only birth one calf every 2-3 years after an 11-month pregnancy, any population recovery will take years.
Though most countries agreed on a whaling moratorium in 1986, Norway and Iceland still catch limited numbers of whales commercially in the Atlantic. Fortunately, Iceland called off its 2025 hunt, and the unfavorable market conditions could spell the end for European whaling operations.
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The sighting of a rare species not only helps to inform and galvanize public opinion, but it can also help form more effective conservation strategies on the local level.
In a press release, the New England Aquarium's president and CEO, Vikki N. Spruill, said: "A healthy ocean relies on flourishing marine animals and habitats, and areas like the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument protect marine ecosystems, helping ensure a vital and vibrant ocean for future generations."
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