North Atlantic Right Whale Suffers from Worsening Decline in Population, New Report Shows

A new report raised concerns about the worsening decline of the North Atlantic Right Whale population due to continuous threats of ship collisions and fishing gear entanglement. Read here.

The population of North Atlantic Right Whales has been monitored due to the potential risk of extinction, raising stricter measures to protect their species.

According to NOAA Fisheries, the North Atlantic Right Whale, also known as Eubalaena glacialis , can weigh up to 140,000 pounds. The said whale species can be found in the regions of New England, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic.

NOAA reported that the North Atlantic Right Whale is endangered due to climate change, ocean noise, vessel collisions and fishing gear entanglement.

The report highlighted that commercial whaling in the 1890s caused the decline and potential extinction of the North Atlantic Whale, a slow recovery population.

North Atlantic Right Whale declining population

According to Associated Press (AP) latest news, the North Atlantic Whales suffered from a worsening population decline.

In the previous reports, the NOAA Fisheries noted that about 350 North Atlantic Right Whales are endangered, highlighting that the population has suffered from unusual mortality events since 2017.

The dwindling North Atlantic Right Whales population worsened after 114 whales were reported dead or suffered from injuries or sickness.

The 144 reports noted that 36 whales died, as the agency only documented a third of the said whale deaths.

Recently, CNN reported that a four-year-old North Atlantic Right Whale was spotted near the East of Rodanthe in North Carolina.

However, the report said that the young whale had wounds due to fishing gear entanglement.

According to an AP report, Sarah Sharp explained the threats that whales face. Sharp is an animal rescuer at the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Sharp explained that it would become more difficult for the injured animals to reproduce.

More facts about North Atlantic Right Whale

According to the NOAA Fisheries, adult North Atlantic Right Whales can reach 52 feet in length, while young calves can reach 14 feet.

They can live up to 70 years. The report highlighted that the human-caused threats have reduced the lifespans of Right Whales, in which a female could likely reach 45 while a female can reach 65.

The whales can look similar, but scientists identify each North Atlantic Right Whale with their unique patterns of callosities,

The right whales like to travel in Atlantic Coastal Waters; their species can also be found on Canada's coasts. They maintain good communication with other Right Whales using low-frequency signals.

According to Conservation Law Foundation, the North Atlantic Right Whale can eat a lot of food to stay alert and survive underwater. The report noted that the Right Whale can digest huge amounts of copepods.

The said whales help fight climate change by helping with carbon storage, showing their significant environmental contribution.

As a result, scientists explained the importance of conservation management of North Atlantic Right Whales to save them from the brink of extinction.

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