Animals · Atlantic coast, United States

North Atlantic right whales record their most calves in a season since 2009

Twenty-three calves were born in the 2026 calving season, the highest count in almost two decades.

Published 6 November 2026 · Original report 15 May 2026 · 3 min read

Humpback whale breaching the blue ocean — Photo: Chinh Le Duc on Unsplash. Illustrative image, not a photo of this story.

Originally reported by NOAA Fisheries on 15 May 2026

The 2026 calving season for North Atlantic right whales produced 23 calves, the highest number since 2009. Right whales are among the most endangered large whales in the world, so each calf counts. The figures sit within a wider NOAA Fisheries roundup for Endangered Species Day, which also reports about 500 sightings of 129 individual whales in the Southeast. The roundup links the progress to the protections of the Endangered Species Act and to ongoing work to reduce the risks ships and fishing gear pose to whales. Good news for a species that has been pushed to the brink is rare, and this season is an encouraging sign. The full roundup is published by NOAA Fisheries.

Why we picked this: Right whales are among the most endangered large whales, so 23 calves in one season is a result worth a headline.

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North Atlantic right whales record their most calves in a season since 2009

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