Photos show whale named after Fenway Park with her "fat and very healthy" calf
BOSTON - Newly released photos show an endangered North Atlantic right whale that's named after the home of the Boston Red Sox alongside her calf.
"Fenway" the whale and her offspring have made it to Canadian feeding grounds in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Woods Hole scientist Alison Ogilvie with the Northeast Fisheries Science Center writes.
This is Fenway's fourth known calf. The pair that was previously seen in January by Florida Fish & Wildlife journeyed more than 2,000 miles to Canada, where they will likely spend the summer.
Right whale's calf seen nursing
An aerial team spotted the mom and baby among a group of 20 right whales in the area in June. And Fenway's calf, born during the most recent calving season, was looking pleasantly plump.
"The calf was repeatedly diving under mom, suggesting it was nursing," Ogilvie wrote. "Fenway is apparently a good mom-the calf looks very healthy and fat!"
Fenway the whale has overcome past entanglements
Fenway is at least 27 years old and got her name because of baseball bat-shaped markings on her skin. The mother whale and her calves have not been immune to one of the biggest dangers facing right whales - entanglement in fishing gear.
"Even though she has a small family, they have experienced 16 entanglements between the four of them, somehow all minor events," the New England Aquarium says. "Let's hope they've all already seen enough entanglement for a lifetime."
There are estimated to be fewer than 360 right whales left on the planet.