MORNING HEADLINES | The rare North Atlantic right whale, which migrates through South Carolina waters annually to calve in the waters of Georgia and Florida, now has an estimated population of 384 animals — up eight whales. The 2% increase in the whale population is part of a slow growth trend over the last four years, according to the Associated Press .

“Scientists, while cautiously optimistic, said threats including entanglement in fishing gear, climate change and low birth rates still loom over efforts to save the animals from extinction,” according to a WBUR story this morning.

Heather Pettis, a senior scientist at the New England Aquarium who chairs the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium , contributed to the annual data project with the National Atmospheric and Oceanic A

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