Critically endangered right whale makes historic 3,000-mile journey from ireland to boston waters

In an extraordinary display of marine resilience, a critically endangered North Atlantic right whale has completed a remarkable 3,000-mile transatlantic journey, becoming the first of its species ever documented in Irish waters before reappearing near Boston in November.

The whale was initially photographed off Ireland’s coast in 2024, marking a historic first for scientists who had never before recorded a North Atlantic right whale in Irish waters. Months later, on November 19, researchers positively identified the same individual through photographic matching near Boston—a journey spanning approximately 4,800 kilometers across the Atlantic Ocean.

This unprecedented sighting offers both hope and mystery for marine biologists studying one of the world’s most endangered whale species. With only an estimated 384 North Atlantic right whales remaining, nearly all typically inhabit western Atlantic waters along the US and Canadian coasts. However, climate change has been pushing these marine giants farther north into cooler Canadian waters as ocean temperatures rise.

“Encounters like this highlight both their resilience and the importance of international cooperation to support their recovery,” said Daniel Palacios, director of the right whale ecology program at the Center for Coastal Studies. Scientists remain puzzled about what motivated this individual’s transatlantic voyage. “It’s hard to say if they’re looking for food or they’re just exploring,” explained Amy Warren from the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life. Researchers believe a subpopulation once existed in European waters until whaling activities eliminated them, making this sighting potentially significant for understanding the species’ historical range and future recovery possibilities.