Endangered whale spotted off Carolina coast, confirms NOAA. Everything you may like to know

Less than 40 of its kind, a critically endangered right whale was spotted off the Marin County coast recently, leaving researchers of the ecosystem studies overjoyed. Considered an extraordinary sighting according to a 'Santa Cruz Sentinel' report, research ecologist Jan Roletto sighted the whale about three miles west of Point Reyes National Seashore. Roletto was aboard a research vessel of the Applied California Current Ecosystem Studies.

Adverse weather posed a challenge while whale-sighting

The fierce winds and weather in the region made the journey being undertaken by the scientists on the vessel quite challenging. It was the research team's weeklong trip related to wildlife study, which was being done under the partnership between Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries and Point Blue Conservation Science.

However, amid the rough weather, the whale was simply unmistakable as it was a very rare sighting and the whale 'came up in front of them', according to a statement by Roletto, who was then standing on the viewing platform alongside another marine researcher and ecologist Kirsten Lindquist who instantly looked at each other with wonder in their eyes. They both knew immediately what the whale was and that it was a rare spot. The whale's distinctive V-shaped blow, 'callosities' on the head, and rough and white skin patches, made it very easy for scientists to identify it as a rare species.

NOAA lab confirms rare whale-spotting

Based on the photos and videos submitted by the scientists, the NOAA Marine Mammal Lab in Seattle has officially confirmed this rare sighting of this whale.

According to the US Marine Mammal Commission, there has been a detection of small numbers of North Pacific right whales in the Gulf of Alaska. Illegal whaling back in the '60s was a primary reason for this species to be pushed to the verge of extinction, claim reports. Although rules around rare species are quite rigid now due to the Endangered Species Act of 1970.

FAQ.

1. When was the Endangered Species Act implemented?
Endangered Species Act was introduced in the US in the year 1970 and enacted by the then-US Congress to protect wildlife species that are endangered or on the verge of extinction.

2. Why is the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling known?
The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling is very significant as it banned the commercial hunting of right whales in the North Pacific in 1937, which helped the number of whales to increase significantly.