Scientists Celebrate Rare Sighting Of Endangered Whales In Bering Sea

"A research vessel located and photographed two critically endangered North Pacific right whales off the coast of Alaska."

"Anchorage, Alaska—Federal researchers studying critically endangered North Pacific right whales sometimes go years without finding their subjects. Over the weekend they got lucky.

A research vessel in the Bering Sea photographed two of the animals Sunday and obtained a biopsy sample from one, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Thursday.

NOAA Fisheries research biologist Jessica Crance was on board the Yushin Maru 2, when the whales were spotted. The ship is part of the Pacific Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research program, a collaborative effort headed by the International Whaling Commission. Using an acoustic recorder, and between sounds of killer whales and walrus, Ms. Crance picked up faint calls of a right whale east of Bristol Bay, Alaska."

Dan Joling reports for the Associated Press August 11, 2017.