The Birth of Hope for Right Whales

There isn’t often much good news to share when it comes to the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, but newborn calves spotted off the coasts of Georgia and Florida are signs of hope for the species. The news could not come at a more critical time — in 2018, for the first time since surveys began nearly 30 years ago, not a single calf was sighted. In a species numbering no more than 411 surviving individuals, each right whale is critical to the survival of the species and each new calf a cause for celebration.

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Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, taken under NOAA permit 20556–01

There isn’t often much good news to share when it comes to the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, but newborn calves spotted off the coasts of Georgia and Florida are signs of hope for the species. The news could not come at a more critical time — in 2018, for the first time since surveys began nearly 30 years ago, not a single calf was sighted. In a species numbering no more than 411 surviving individuals, each right whale is critical to the survival of the species and each new calf a cause for celebration.

Entanglements and ship strikes not only kill whales but impede population growth and recovery. In fact, the population has steadily declined since 2010. Researchers have found that more than 85 percent of North Atlantic right whales have been entangled in fishing gear at least once. Even if these entanglements don’t kill right whales outright, they can cause long, painful deaths from injury and infection. But non-lethal entanglements also threaten the species’ survival: because dragging heavy fishing gear is exhausting and can impair swimming and feeding, entanglement causes whales to expend more energy, reducing the calving rate. This statistic, combined with the fact that there are fewer than 100 reproductively active females left, makes the birth of new calves nothing short of miraculous.

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Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, taken under NOAA permit 20556–01

Without swift intervention, the North Atlantic right whale may decline towards effective extinction within a few short decades. The SAVE Right Whales Act, introduced in the last Congress by Senator Booker (D-NJ) is a good start towards the national investment in their survival these whales desperately need. The Act would provide a vital, sustained source of federal funding for research to develop innovative technologies to reduce human threats to the species’ existence. Specifically, it would authorize $5 million a year over the next 10 years to fund the research and development of new fishing technologies to eliminate the risk of entanglements or new technologies to lower the odds of ship strikes. Congress should also support the Senate Appropriations Committee’s recommendation for an additional $5 million for right whale conservation. Now, right now, is the time for congressional leaders to act to save the North Atlantic right whale.