A critically endangered North Atlantic right whale was found dead off the coast of Virginia. This is the second confirmed death of this whale species in the Atlantic this year.
The whale was discovered last week near a remote barrier island on the eastern edge of the state. Officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) identified the animal as a three‑year‑old female.
She was the calf of another right whale named Porcia, who has had two other calves that also died. The cause of death is still unknown, and officials plan to investigate even though the location is remote.
This death happened less than two weeks after another North Atlantic right whale, named Division, was found dead off the coast of North Carolina.
In that case, NOAA found that the whale died from injuries caused by getting tangled in fishing gear, which is one of the main human threats to the species.
Today, there are only about 380 North Atlantic right whales left in the world, including around 70 breeding females. Scientists say this species is still one of the most endangered large whales on Earth.
Main threats: boats and fishing gear
North Atlantic right whales were heavily hunted until whaling was banned in 1935. Their numbers fell from over 20,000 to under 100 by the 1920s. The population grew a bit by 2010, but numbers have dropped again since then.
Today, two of the biggest dangers for these whales are being hit by boats and getting caught in fishing gear.
Right whales swim slowly near the surface of the water. Because they are dark and lack a dorsal fin, they can be hard for ships to see. At high speeds, boats cannot stop in time to avoid hitting them.
Ropes used to catch lobster, crab, and other species often get caught on whales. These lines can wrap around their mouths, fins, tails, or bodies. This can slow them down, make it hard to swim or eat, and cause deep injuries or life-threatening infections.
Scientists and conservation groups are calling for stronger laws and more action to reduce ship strikes and fishing gear entanglements, so these rare whales have a better chance to survive in the future.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: theanimalreader.com
