Whale watchers and marine biologists celebrate every North Atlantic right whale birth off the Southeast coast with great joy. With only 70 breeding females out of an estimated population of 356, each new calf is a significant event. This past winter saw 19 such occasions, including births to four first-time mothers, offering a glimmer of hope for the species. The journey for pregnant right whales is perilous. They migrate through commercial fishing grounds off New England and Canada and navigate busy shipping lanes to reach the calving grounds off Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Successfully arriving and delivering a calf is a crucial win for their endangered species.

A Season Marked by Tragedy

Despite the initial joy, the calving season that ended this spring was a stark reminder of the grim reality these whales face. Just four months into 2024, it has already become the deadliest year for right whales since 2019. Five whales have died, including one new calf and four other calves are missing and presumed dead. This alarming mortality rate underscores the urgent need for stronger protections.

Right whales are identified by their unique natural markings, cataloged in a photo database maintained by the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center. Each whale receives a four-digit catalog number and sometimes a name. Reviewing the life histories of the 19 whale mothers from this season reveals a history of repeated entanglements and vessel collisions. One mother, Fenway, has been entangled eight times, and another, Dog-Ear, has survived three vessel collisions.

Heartbreaking Losses

The first mother-calf pair of the season, Juno and her baby, was seen off South Carolina on November 28. By season’s end, that calf and four others—26% of the 19 calves—were dead or presumed dead. For instance, on March 3, Juno’s calf was found dead near Cumberland Island Seashore with lacerations from a boat propeller. Later, on March 30, a whale known as No. 1950 was found dead off Virginia with catastrophic injuries from a vessel strike, leaving her orphaned calf unlikely to survive.

This continuous stream of bad news highlights the dire situation. “It’s pretty much been non-stop bad news for these whales,” said Gib Brogan, a campaign director for the ocean conservation group Oceana. The painful injuries and deaths show no signs of letting up, with incidents reported all along the Atlantic Coast since January.

Can Right Whales Be Saved?

The plight of the North Atlantic right whale is dire. Scientists with NOAA and the New England Aquarium assert that the loss of even one female whale a year to human causes significantly hampers the species’ chances of recovery. With four females already dead this year, the situation is critical. The species needs to produce twice as many calves each winter to stabilize the population.

A recent study led by Joshua Reed at Macquarie University in Australia highlighted the severe impact of entanglements. Even minor entanglements reduce a female whale’s likelihood of breeding by 47%. Given that 89% of females have experienced entanglement, the urgency for change is clear. “Every right whale death is significant to the future of the species,” said Oceana’s Brogan. Breeding females are particularly crucial for the species’ recovery.

Urgent Need for Action

Despite federal laws in the U.S. and Canada offering some protections, compliance and enforcement are lacking. NOAA’s seasonal boat speed limits for vessels over 65 feet are often not followed, and proposals to expand these zones face significant delays. Additionally, proposed rules for the fishing industry to use safer gear have met with resistance due to concerns about cost and practicality.

The urgency to save the North Atlantic right whale cannot be overstated. With a population of around 360 individuals, every whale counts. As Philip Hamilton, a senior scientist at the Cabot Center, said, each whale added to the catalog “brings some hope.” However, without immediate and robust protective measures, the species faces a bleak future.