North Atlantic right whale population grows for fourth straight year, but recovery still far off

The critically endangered North Atlantic right whale population reached 384 animals in 2024, a 2-per-cent increase from the previous year, according to the latest estimate.

The update, released Tuesday by the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium, shared at its annual meeting in New Bedford, Mass., marks the fourth consecutive year of slow growth for the species. More than 450 researchers, conservationists, government officials and industry representatives from the U.S. and Canada gathered for the two-day meeting to assess the status of one of the world’s most endangered large whales.