November 11, 2025 –Two North Atlantic right whales, one of the most endangered species of large whale, made an appearance off the coast.
On Nov. 5, WhaleMap reported a definite sighting of two right whales in South Carolina waters, part of the species’ calving area. This calving area is one of the two critical habitats for North Atlantic right whales, designated by NOAA Fisheries.
Right whales once boasted a population of as many as 21,000 in the North Atlantic, according to Oceana. Now, they number roughly 384 as of 2024, per an annual estimate from the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium.
“While it’s experienced a very, very slight increase over recent years, they’re still in such peril that even a single human-caused death of a North Atlantic right whale threatens the recovery of the species and its chance at avoiding extinction,” said Michelle Bivins, field representative for Oceana in the Carolinas.