This whale was towed to shore for study after being struck and killed by a boat. Photo: Brian Skerry
North Atlantic right whales can grow bigger than a school bus, weigh up to 70 tons, and have few natural predators. So why is a species near the top of the food chain critically endangered? Well, they’re at risk from a species a notch higher than the right whale: humans.
While it’s been illegal for humans to hunt them for almost half a century, our actions are still taking a deadly toll on right whales. Thick ropes attached to our fishing traps often fatally ensnare these gentle giants. Boats and ships frequently strike them, leaving them with painful and even deadly injuries. Fewer than 350 of these majestic whales now remain, and fewer than 70 are potential new mothers, the only hope for the recovery of this species. Fortunately, we have the ability to create the policies and…