Seven right whales found dead in 'devastating' blow to endangered animal
Source: Guardian
Carcasses found off Canada in recent weeks in what may be biggest single die-off of one of worlds most endangered whale species, expert says
Ashifa Kassam in Toronto
@ashifa_k
Saturday 8 July 2017 06.00 EDT
Seven North Atlantic right whales have been found floating lifelessly in the Gulf of St Lawrence, off Canada, in recent weeks, in what is being described as a catastrophic blow to one of the worlds most endangered whales.
The first whale carcass was reported in early June. Within a month, another six reports came in, leaving marine biologists in the region reeling.
Its devastating, said Tonya Wimmer of the Marine Animal Response Society, a charitable organisation dedicated to marine mammal conservation in the region. This is, I think, the largest die-off theyve ever had for this particularly species, at once.
The global population of North Atlantic right whales which live along the eastern seaboard of Canada and the US and can reach up to 16 metres in length is thought to be around 525, meaning that more than 1% of the population has died in the past month. So it is catastrophic in terms of potential impact to this population.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/08/right-whales-dead-canada-endangered-species
rockfordfile
(8,702 posts)applegrove
(118,636 posts)they had that problem in the Bay of Fundy the authorities just moved the shipping lanes. Unfortunately in the gulf of St Laurence and St Laurence River there are shallows so you can't really change the shipping lanes. Very sad. They are looking in to what they can do.
Not Ruth
(3,613 posts)In the Gulf of Maine. You literally could not look in a random direction for 10 minutes and not see one. One breached 20 feet away.
Glimmer of Hope
(5,823 posts)I hope to go out again this month to catch the Humpback and Blues.
inanna
(3,547 posts)Thanks for posting, Judi Lynn.
This is so sad!