Sighting of a North Pacific right whale in the southern Okhotsk sea, off Shiretoko, Hokkaido

A North Pacific right whale was sighted near the coast of Shiretoko Peninsula, Hokkaido, on July 5, 2013. This marked the first confirmed observation in the southern Okhotsk Sea since Japan's research capture off Sakhalin Island in 1968. The discovery highlights the potential presence and movement patterns of this critically endangered species in previously understudied regions. Researchers analyzed visual data from the sighting, focusing on the whale's morphology and behavior to confirm its identification. This observation contributes valuable baseline data for understanding the distribution and conservation status of North Pacific right whales, which are threatened by historical whaling and ongoing habitat degradation.

Uni, Y., Okabe, T., & Imai, Y. (2014). Sighting of a North Pacific right whale in the southern Okhotsk sea, off Shiretoko, Hokkaido. Japan Cetology, 24(0), 23–25. https://doi.org/10.5181/cetology.0.24_23