North Atlantic Right Whale Listed as Critically Endangered

Photographed in Cape Cod Bay by the Center for Coastal Studies aerial survey team on January 6, 2020. CCS, NOAA permit #19315-1.

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.

About Brendan Fitzpatrick

Brendan, a recent graduate from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, is one of the newest members of the CapeCod.com NewsCenter team. When not on the beat, you'll probably find him watching Boston sports.



CapeCod.com
737 West Main Street
Hyannis, MA 02601
Contact Us | Advertise Terms of Use 
Employment and EEO | Privacy