A NOAA-affiliated research scientist pioneered a smaller, longer-lasting satellite tag design that anchors safely in the blubber layer of a whale. This engineering breakthrough improves scientists’ monitoring of baleen whale species.
Giving a right whale a check-up isn’t easy. Using research vessels and innovative drone technology, we are improving our understanding of their health and distribution. Discover how these data help reduce risks to right whales and how you can help.
Endangered North Atlantic right whales spend the summer in their Northeast feeding grounds, including mothers with new calves. Our scientists and partners are helping to keep them safe by monitoring them from above using aerial surveys.
Last winter, North Atlantic right whale moms gave birth to the most calves in nearly two decades. While they are feeding in the Northeast this summer, our scientists and partners are monitoring them using advanced technology, including passive acoustics.
The 2026 North Atlantic right whale calving season has come to a close in the southeast United States. We are cautiously optimistic for the species, as we saw the highest number of right whale calves born in nearly two decades.
