ah wicked cool!

(two maine stories in two days)

Right whales gather off coast of Maine

Researchers counted 44 of the endangered mammals about 100 miles offshore – a record winter sighting.

By JOHN RICHARDSON, Staff Writer

Because they are in danger of extinction, North Atlantic right whales are some of the most closely watched creatures in the sea.

Researchers fly over the East Coast looking for them and then, when they find one, zoom in for close-up photos. Many of the individual whales even have names and files containing their photos and life histories.

Until now, however, scientists have had few clues about where many of the whales go in winter, when winds and stormy weather make the search more difficult.

Federal researchers announced Wednesday that an unusually large number of right whales have gathered in recent weeks off the Maine coast in what appears to be a wintering ground, and potentially a breeding ground, for the endangered species. The discovery is expected to enhance efforts to save and restore the population, which now stands at an estimated 325 animals.

Forty-four right whales were seen Dec. 3 in the Jordan Basin area, which lies about 70 miles south of Bar Harbor and 100 miles east of Portland, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Forty-one whales were spotted just west of Jordan Basin on Dec. 14, it said. Bad weather has prevented more recent flights to the area, according to the agency............

(hat tip to americablog)

picture: Right whales' heads and lips are marked by unique patterns of horny bumps, known as callosities, covered with crustaceans. These bumps are the key to identifying individuals. (Photo by Michael Moore, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) and another article: Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale Study Says Population In Crisis