(CNN) The year is ending on a positive note for North Atlantic right whales, a critically endangered species, with the spotting of two newborn calves. The right whale is one of the rarest marine mammals in the world, according the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and there are fewer than 400 of them left in the world, Jessica Powell, a marine mammal biologist for NOAA Fisheries, told CNN. One of the babies, spotted on December 4 off the coast of Cumberland Island, Georgia, was born to Chiminea, who is believed to be 13 years old and is a first time mom. The second calf, found off Vilano Beach in Florida three days later, was born to 16-year-old Millipede. The right whale's calving season begins in mid-November and runs through mid-April.

Source: CNN December 13, 2020 07:29 UTC