Critically endangered whale spotted off coast of Marin County, NOAA confirms

MARIN COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- Off the Marin County coast, it's a sighting that has stirred excitement among scientists... after one of the world's rarest whales was spotted on Friday.

Photos of the North Pacific right whale seen just three miles west of Point Reyes taken by researchers aboard the NOAA ship, the "Bell M. Shimada."

The identification was officially confirmed by NOAA using photos taken by the research team.

The North Pacific right whale is critically endangered; according to NOAA's website, there are likely fewer than 500 remaining.