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North Atlantic Right Whale

North Atlantic right whale mothers are known for their tender care of newborn calves. On their calving grounds, mothers whisper to their young, allowing them to stay in close contact without advertising their presence to potential predators in the area! They even cradle their calves at the surface, swimming belly-up with their flippers wrapped around them so the newborn can rest and breathe safely. 

 

Once abundant throughout the Northern Hemisphere, the North Atlantic right whale is now one of the rarest large whale species on Earth. It is one of three species of right whale, with the other two being the North Pacific right whale and the Southern right whale. These gentle giants can reach lengths of up to 15.8 meters (52 feet) in length and are recognized by their stocky body, short pectoral fins, and lack of a dorsal fin. They are primarily black, sometimes with white patches on their bellies, and often have distinctive callosities — rough skin patches that are often light in color due to whale lice — on their head. Scientists use each whale’s unique collection of callosities to help identify individuals whales.  

North Atlantic right whales are a migratory species, with some traveling thousands of miles each year. They travel alone, as a mom and calf pair, or sometimes in small groups where they may socialize at the surface with others and communicate through low-frequency sounds.   As they roam the sea, they search for swarms of tiny swimming crustaceans and plankton. 

 

 

North Atlantic right whales were nearly eliminated by whaling until hunting this species was banned in 1935 and haven’t found the road to recovery an easy one. Although it has been well over a century and the threat of whaling is now absent, these whales still haven’t recovered to the numbers they had previously attained. Today, entanglement in fishing gear, boat strikes, and noise pollution have put this species to the brink of extinction, leading to their status as a critically endangered species on the IUCN Red List. Today, only about 384 North Atlantic right whales remain, including around 70 breeding females.   

 

 

To reverse course, North Atlantic right whales must be protected from fishing gear entanglements and ship strikes. Reducing the number of vertical lines from fishing gear in the water and requiring boats to slow down can help save these critically endangered whales. Legislation like the Marine Mammal Protected Act and Endangered Species Act are also crucial to the survival and success of North Atlantic right whales. Oceana campaigns directly around the conservation of North Atlantic right whales, aiming to protect these animals from the brink of extinction.  

 

 

 

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