One of the rarest whales on the planet has continued an encouraging trend of population growth in the wake of new efforts to protect the giant animals, according to scientists who study them. The North Atlantic right whale now numbers an estimated 384 animals, up eight whales from the previous year, according to a report […]
Tag: right whales
Republicans try to weaken 50-year-old law protecting whales, seals and polar bears
BOOTHBAY HARBOR, Maine (AP) — Republican lawmakers are targeting one of the U.S.’s longest standing pieces of environmental legislation, credited with helping save rare whales from extinction. Conservative leaders feel they now have the political will to remove key pieces of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, enacted in 1972 to protect whales, seals, polar bears […]
Two Endangered Right Whales Entangled in Fishing Gear off Massachusetts
Two North Atlantic right whales, a critically endangered species, have been seen entangled in fishing gear off the coast of Massachusetts. With fewer than 400 of these whales remaining, the sighting is raising serious concerns among conservationists. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the whales—an adult and a juvenile—were observed southeast of […]
Near-extinct North Atlantic right whales get a small population boost
The population of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale increased by five individuals, bringing the estimated total to 372 in 2023, according to an Oct. 22 report. The North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) population has declined since 2011. However, the slight rise in recent years may signal some stability for these ocean giants, […]
Unusually Large Number of Whales Spotted, Including Multiple Endangered Species, off Northeast U.S. Coasts
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has reported 161 sightings of whales last month, representing seven different whale species. The sightings, recorded on May 25, took place off the northeastern U.S. Coasts, near Martha’s Vineyard and southeast of Nantucket. According to NOAA, the sightings included an unusually high number of whale species, particularly endangered […]
North Atlantic Right Whales off of Cape Cod
It was a rare day in March . . . with temperatures in the 60’s . . . and rarer still . . . for experiencing endangered right whales off the tip of Cape Cod . . . just out from Race Point Lighthouse. What a joy to see thirty or more whales feeding, frolicking […]