SCIENCE
Rare Blue Whales Spotted Near Alaska
July 31, 2004 | From Times Staff and Wire Reports
Federal scientists have sighted a rare mammal in Alaska waters: the endangered blue whale. Sightings by researchers on board a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration vessel means the blue whale population may be getting healthier and expanding back to traditional territories. "It's been 30 years since we had a confirmed sighting up here," Jay Barlow, chief scientist on board the McArthur II, said Friday from Kodiak. Most recent estimates show about 12,000 blue whales worldwide