Third Right Whale Entanglement Reported in Just One Week
A third North Atlantic right whale has been entangled in fishing gear, raising concerns for the endangered species’ survival
North Carolina, Right Whale, Entanglement, NOAA, Endangered Species
North Carolina: It’s been a tough week for North Atlantic right whales. A third one has been found tangled in fishing gear, and it’s not looking good. This latest sighting happened off the coast of North Carolina.
Two of these whales are in really bad shape and might not make it. The latest one, known as No. 5132, was spotted with lines wrapped around its head and mouth. NOAA reported that it was last seen without gear just two months ago in the Bay of Fundy.
It’s a juvenile male born in 2021, and it was spotted by an aerial survey team. They noticed two buoys attached to the line around the whale, with a long line trailing behind it. NOAA Fisheries said this situation is serious enough to be classified as a ‘serious injury’ case.
Sadly, this whale is now part of a grim list of right whales that have been documented since 2017, which includes those that are dead or seriously injured. Right whales are on the brink of extinction, mainly due to fishing gear entanglements and vessel strikes.
Just last week, NOAA reported two other entangled right whales spotted southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts. One of them, No. 5110, is a juvenile male that has been seen since it was a calf. It’s got a thick line wrapped around its head, which is likely to be fatal.
The other whale, an adult female known as No. 4120, has two lines coming out of her mouth. While her injuries aren’t life-threatening, they will affect her health. NOAA is keeping a close eye on these whales and will decide what to do next.
Stay tuned for updates on this situation.