A North Atlantic right whale that recently gave birth to her sixth calf has been found dead off the East Coast, while sharks have been spotted scavenging the whale’s carcass.
This marks the fourth documented North Atlantic right whale death in U.S. waters this year, and the whale’s calf will likely not survive without its mother, officials said.
The New England Aquarium and Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute identified the whale as Catalog #1950, a female that was at least 35 years old. Her carcass was found 50 miles off the coast of Virginia on Saturday. Her calf was not seen in the vicinity of the carcass.
“NOAA Fisheries and our partners have towed the whale to shore for a necropsy,” NOAA Fisheries wrote in its North Atlantic right whale update.
“The whale carcass was scavenged by sharks; wind, weather, and distance from shore presented additional logistical challenges for the tow,” NOAA Fisheries added.
The whale was last seen healthy and with her calf on Feb. 16 off Amelia Island, Florida.
“The situation so far in 2024 for right whales highlights the fact that much more needs to be done to prevent the extinction of this species,” said Amy Knowlton, senior scientist in the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium, who helped identify the whale.
“It is frustrating that solutions that could address these threats are not being implemented more immediately,” Knowlton added.
Scientists will conduct a thorough internal and external exam, and collect tissue samples to learn more about the whale’s death.
Catalog #1950 suffered three entanglements during her life, yet managed to breed and successfully raise five prior calves — which have all been seen in recent years.
“If she can avoid the double threats of vessel strikes and entanglements, a female right whale can calve throughout her long life, producing ten or more calves,” said Philip Hamilton, senior scientist in the Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center.
“With the loss of Catalog #1950, her female lineage now rests with her three daughters, none of which have calved yet,” Hamilton added.
Vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing gear are the two leading causes of serious injury and mortality to North Atlantic right whales, a critically endangered species with an estimated population of less than 360.
In January, a three-year-old female right whale entangled in fishing gear washed ashore dead on Martha’s Vineyard. Just a few weeks later, NOAA announced that a one-year-old female yearling found off Savannah, Georgia died of blunt force trauma, as evidenced by skull fractures consistent with a vessel strike. Then in early March, the eighth calf of 38-year-old right whale mother “Juno” washed up dead in Georgia after being seen with severe propeller wounds.
To reduce the risk of vessel strikes, NOAA has proposed changes to the existing vessel speed rule.
