A deceased right whale was discovered by wildlife officials after it was spotted off the coast of Georgia.
According to a news release by NOAA Fisheries, the whale has been identified as adult female #1950, who is a mother from the 2024 calving season. Sadly, this whale is the 40th mortality in the ongoing Unusual Mortality Event (UME) affecting North Atlantic right whales. Furthermore, her calf is now considered a seriously injured dependent calf in the UME as a result of its mother’s demise.
Another right whale was discovered deceased on the Georgia coast last month. The whale had suffered severe injuries as a result of a boat collision.
Whale #1950, also sighted off the Georgia coast, was discovered lifeless approximately 50 miles offshore in the eastern region of Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the whale known as “She” was initially spotted in 1989. Recently, she gave birth to her sixth calf during the winter season. Interestingly, her calf was not observed near the carcass.
According to NOAA, an Unusual Mortality Event was declared for North Atlantic right whales in 2017. Since then, 125 right whales have lost their lives in U.S. and Canadian waters due to entanglements in fishing gear and vessel strikes.
Marine scientists have emphasized the criticality of every baby right whale for the future of the species, as these whales are currently experiencing a decline. The reproduction process for these whales is slow, making the birth of each newborn highly significant. According to NOAA data, the number of newborns has been lower than usual in recent years, with 2021 being the last year when they reached a relatively productive season of twenty births.
Right whales embark on a migration journey from their calving grounds situated off the coasts of Florida and Georgia to their feeding grounds located in the waters of New England and Canada. In order to safeguard these majestic creatures from potential harm and mortality, the federal government has been diligently developing new regulations pertaining to ship speed.
Scientists claim that the warming of the ocean is putting whales at risk. These majestic creatures rely on the abundance of tiny organisms in the ocean for their food, and it seems that they are deviating from their usual protected areas as these food sources shift due to the effects of climate change.
According to environmental groups, it is crucial to implement new protections in order to save the species, as they cannot sustain such a rapid decline in population.
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