Many whale advocacy groups got worked up last week Wednesday after federal officials announced a critically endangered right whale calf was seen off the South Carolina coast. Whales and their calves belong in the ocean; seeing one, however endangered they are, is no cause for panic.
However, that is exactly what many whale lovers were doing when news of this whale broke. And this is because it was covered with injuries so severe it was a wonder it was still alive.
It does not help matters that the whale calf belongs to the species of North Atlantic right whales. They are one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world, with a population of about 356.
Pregnant female right whales migrate from the waters of Canada and New England to the Southeastern United States during winter to give birth. This requires them to navigate waters, often busy with ships, military vessels, fishing boats, and pleasure craft.
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Many believe the calf’s wounds come from an accident involving one such vessel. The head and mouth of the newborn calf had gashes reminiscent of propeller wounds. According to biologists, the calf’s injuries appeared severe but were “not fresh.”
In photos, the wounds are covered in cyamids, small crustaceans commonly found on whales. They’ve also stated that the injuries may impact this calf’s ability to nurse.
The calf is the 14th right whale since 2008 to be in an accident with a vessel, leaving it with life-threatening injury. Federal scientists previously said the death of one right whale a year as a result of human actions damages their chances of survival.
“This devastating case brings a heightened sense of urgency to address the significant challenges North Atlantic right whales are facing,” said Amy Knowlton, senior scientist in the aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life.
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“It is crucial to act now to implement enhanced regulations to protect this critically endangered species along the U.S. East Coast.” Boaters are to report sightings of the injured calf to 877-942-5343 or the Coast Guard marine VHF channel 16.
The information they will supply includes time, location, and any other crucial details. The injured calf was first spotted off South Carolina with its mother, a whale nicknamed Juno, on November 28. It was the first of nine new calves this season.
Fishermen with Forever Hooked Charters out of Edisto Island, South Carolina, were the first to meet the whales. They reportedly saw a blip pop up on their boat’s radar, causing them to slow down. The men stopped the boat off the Edisto River Inlet, and the calf approached the boat.
They posted photos and videos of their encounter on Facebook and shared the images with NOAA when someone reached out to them on January 6. Aside from propellers, other things that threaten whales include entanglement with fishing gear and changing ocean conditions.
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Scientists believe that stress from entanglements and collisions is one reason the interval between female whales giving birth is more than twice as long as it used to be. Now, right whales are so few every death brings them closer to extinction.
Whale advocacy groups are calling for better protective measures and more awareness about what is happening to these creatures. They hope this can prevent more deaths or injuries, damaging their survival probability as a species.
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