This is an exciting year ... witnessing a population on the brink of extinction exhibit signs that it might actually make it, that it might have a fighting chance.

A population like this couldn't stand too many years with only a couple of animals born into it.

This population of right whales is one of the most endangered populations of large mammals anywhere in the world. This is our white rhino. This is our giant panda.

A species on the brink of extinction isn't going to reverse after only 30 years.

We need to find out more about how stripers live. Stripers came close to the brink of extinction 25 years ago. Other species are still in trouble. Rutgers is leading the effort along the Jersey Shore to study our fisheries. I hope Net Free steers clear of nets and won't end up on a dinner table. We have something to learn form Net Free and the other tagged fish.

It's haunting to realize that half of the languages of the world are teetering on the brink of extinction.