A critically endangered North Atlantic right whale spotted off Ireland last year has made an "extraordinary" 3,000-mile journey to Boston, scientists say.

The right whale was first seen in Ireland's Donegal Bay in July 2024 - the first time a right whale had been photographed in Irish waters in more than 100 years. Now, the New England Aquarium can confirm that the same whale was just seen on Nov. 19 about 23 miles east of Boston.

Researchers were able to identify the whale due to unique scarring patterns on its head. Ian Schosberg with the Center for Coastal Studies was on the aerial survey that spotted the whale near Boston, and didn't realize initially how unique the first right whale sighting of the season was.

Unique scars on the whale's head helped researchers match photos

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