The North Atlantic right whale is one of the world’s most endangered large whale species and time to save this species is running out even faster than feared. A new population estimate from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows this whale population declined about 11% in 2018 – dropping from 412 right whales in January 2018 to 366 in January 2019.
The species has been in decline since 2011 and the latest numbers represent a larger than anticipated loss, therefore it’s critical to protect every right whale to avoid extinction of the species. North Atlantic right whales swim and forage off the coast of New England much of the year and migrate south to calving grounds off the coast of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida during autumn.
Fishing gear entanglements and vessel strikes cause the most right whale deaths. Studies suggest that more than 85% of right whales have been entangled in fishing gear at least once, and about 60% have been entangled multiple times. In October this year alone, researchers spotted two different right whales entangled in fishing gear in American waters.
North Atlantic right whales have been listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act since 1970.
