PROVINCETOWN – The North Atlantic right whale has been listed as “Critically Endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Dr. Charles Mayo, on behalf of the Center for Coastal Studies, called the future of the species “bleak” in a statement following the listing.
He said that due to fishing gear entanglements and boat strikes, along with extremely low birth rates, the species is on pace to go extinct.
There are roughly 400 North Atlantic right whales remaining, with a small percentage being females capable of reproducing.
Mayo said that the IUCN’s recognition lends credence to scientific studies and conservation methods. He also called for increased effort to prevent human-caused fatalities of these whales in the near future.
To learn more, visit the Center for Coastal Studies’ webiste by clicking here.