Off the coast of Canada's Anticosti Island in September 2026, researchers photographed a pair of North Atlantic right whales, and only after weeks of analyzing the photographs did it become clear that before them was a previously unknown calf. The mother, a 38-year-old female named Silt, has now given birth for the sixth time, but this little one slipped past the scientists' attention during the winter surveys off the southeastern coast of the United States. Now the total number of registered newborns for the season has reached 24 — the highest figure since 2009.
The population of Eubalaena glacialis numbers about 380 individuals and has continued to decline since 2010. Every new life here is valued especially highly: only about 70 reproductively active females remain in the herd. The calf, weighing about seven tons, appears to have been born in February, but the mother managed to avoid the standard observation routes. Such "misses" are rare — thanks to extensive photo-cataloguing, scientists usually record almost all newborns.
The discovery was made by specialists from the nonprofit organization Mingan Island Cetacean Study in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The photographs were passed to the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium, where the images were compared with the database and it was confirmed that this is indeed a new member of the population. Scientists note that Silt has already survived several entanglements in fishing gear, and her ability to successfully carry and raise calves looks especially valuable.
The 2025–2026 season became the fourth most productive in the entire history of observations. After a period of decline, when the population lost about a quarter of its individuals, recent years have brought cautious optimism. However, the survival of the species still depends on reducing mortality from ship strikes and entanglements in gear, as well as on preserving feeding grounds in the cold waters of the Atlantic.
Every such "unnoticed" calf is a reminder of how fragile and at the same time resilient nature is: even under heavy pressure, humans can accidentally miss the birth of a new life, but that birth still happens and offers a chance for the species to continue. Discoveries like these show that systematic observations and international cooperation among scientists remain key tools for protecting rare species.
