The planet's rarest marine mammal, the North Atlantic right whale was once thought extinct.

For 700 years, humans slaughtered countless right whales. Today, only 60 breeding females remain. And we continue to harm these incredible animals: most members of the species bear scars from collisions with ships.

Dr. Moira Brown and Deborah Tobin are combining research, public education and lobbying to make the North Atlantic safer for right whales. And their efforts may be paying off.

Humans were once the right whale's worst enemy. Now we can become its closest ally in the fight for survival.