Another critically endangered dead North Atlantic right whale recently washed up off the coast of Virginia Beach, USA.
While scientists with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are conducting a full necropsy, the cause of death is unknown.
Gib Brogan, campaign director at Oceana in the United States, said:
“It’s gut-wrenching to hear about another North Atlantic right whale death — this species cannot afford any more punches. Each death sets the species back and makes the road to recovery bleaker for the 340 remaining North Atlantic right whales. Oceana calls on NOAA to quickly release a detailed analysis of this whale’s cause of death and take necessary steps to prevent future deaths of this critically endangered species. We do not have strong enough protections in place to prevent human-caused threats of ship strikes and entanglements in fishing gear. In December, Oceana submitted an emergency request to protect these vulnerable whales, and our request was rejected. NOAA is not doing enough to prevent deaths like these. We will continue to have dead North Atlantic right whales wash up on our shores until NOAA does their job.”
(Featured Image credit: Tim Solanic)
