It was astonishing, said research ecologist Jan Roletto, who sighted the critically endangered right whale off Marin County coast. The species was driven nearly to extinction by commercial whaling, slower to recover than other whale species.
The whale had distinctive features like a V-shaped blow, wide and pitch-black body, no dorsal fin, and telltale callosities on its head. It seemed to be resting, not feeding or traveling, moving slightly then sinking down.
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