Eight: that’s the number of new North Atlantic right whales observed over the past year. It might not sound like much. But those eight whales are great news for the future of the critically-endangered species, experts say. The new count "leaves us cautiously optimistic about the future of North Atlantic right whales,” researcher Heather Pettis told The Associated Press. She is the chair of the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium. ”What we've seen before is this population can turn on a dime." The massive marine mammals nearly went extinct in the 1900s. The main cause of their decline was whale hunting. They were named “right” whales because whale hunters deemed them the best species to harpoon and harvest for blubber, bone, and other products. Modern laws like the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 have helped to safeguard right whales from hunters. But they face other threats as well. They are at high risk of getting hit by boats or caught in industrial fishing nets. Between 2010 and 2020, the whales lost roughly 25% of their numbers to such threats. Estimates put their current population at 384. That leaves them still near extinction. But any step back from that helps, Pettis says. “To see the population estimate increasing gives us hope that what felt like a free fall over the past decade may be behind us,” Pettis said in a press release. “While we still have a great deal of work to do to ensure that this species not only recovers but thrives, it feels really good to be able to share a little bit of positive news.” Reflect: When have you seen a small change or improvement make a big difference in how you felt about a situation?
