Nice going, mom! Right whales break birth record

(AP) — Right whales have plenty to celebrate this Mother’s Day – the sea moms gave birth to a record 39 calves this spring.

Considering that there are only a few hundred of these whales left, this is good news. The “right whales” were originally called that because back in the old days when our oil supply came mainly from fellow mammals, they were identified as the “right whale” to hunt down and kill for the oil. The term “Right Whale” refers to several different species, but the one being discussed here is the North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis