The latest International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species reveals that the North Atlantic right whale has been moved from Endangered to Critically Endangered – with around 400 individuals left and fewer than 100 breeding females, the species is sadly heading to extinction.
The total population of this whale species has declined by approximately 15% since 2011 and the survival of North Atlantic right whales is seriously threatened by entanglements in fishing gear and mortality caused by ships. Studies suggest that more than 85% of right whales have been entangled in fishing gear at least once, with around 60% having been entangled multiple times. Lethal vessel strikes are another major threat as their habitat and migration routes are close to major ports along the Atlantic seaboard and often overlap with shipping lanes, making the whales vulnerable to collisions with ships and other vessels.
It’s not known how long North Atlantic right whales live but it is presumed they can live until 65 or 70, however, because human activity has affected their life spans so drastically, the majority won’t reach that age. To think that this species could be wiped out in the next 20 years is a real tragedy.
