Rare sea creature approaches scientists’ boat off CA coast and lingers for 20 minutes
A critically endangered whale — one of only about 50 left in the U.S. — was spotted by scientists off the coast of California, experts say.
Two scientists were in a boat on May 24 when they saw a giant whale approach off the coast of Marin County. The creature had a few distinct features they recognized – a v-shaped blow and patches of “callosites,” or rough white skin patches.
The duo knew what it was immediately, according to The Mercury News. It was a North Pacific right whale, one of the largest whales on Earth, and a species so endangered, the Marine Mammal Commission estimates that there are fewer than 50 of them left in U.S. waters.
The marine mammal stopped close to the boat. And then, it stayed there, not doing much.
The whale appeared to be resting.
“It wasn’t feeding. It wasn’t traveling. It would move a little bit, then sink down,” ecologist Jan Roletto told The Mercury News, recounting the sighting.
The whale remained there for 20 minutes, KTVU reported.
North Pacific right whales are baleen whales that can grow to be 64 feet long and 70 years old if left alone.
That is an important caveat. These creatures have been hunted to almost extinction, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The whales got their name from being the “right” whales to hunt because they floated when dead, making them easy to gather.
The animals die due to entanglements, vessel strikes, climate change and ocean noise driving them away from their homes.
This story was originally published May 28, 2024 at 3:27 PM with the headline "Rare sea creature approaches scientists’ boat off CA coast and lingers for 20 minutes."