'Dying faster than they can reproduce': Endangered Whale Calving Season Officially Ends

Part of a group of 13 right whales sighted off Cape Lookout National Seashore on January 22, 2024. Photo from FWC Facebook Page

​According to the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, the 2023-2024 North Atlantic right whale calving season concluded on April 15 with several highs and lows.

A total of 19 calves were sighted in the Southeastern U.S., an improvement from recent years but still below ideal levels. Unfortunately, one calf died from a vessel strike, and four others are presumed dead.

"North Atlantic right whales are dying faster than they can reproduce. That's why every whale counts," said the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in their post. "Since 2017, these endangered whales have been experiencing an Unusual Mortality Event (UME), during which more than 20 percent of the population has been documented as sick, injured, or dead."

Notably, several first-time mothers were observed, but some calves faced challenges like thin body conditions.

These are the key points from the information provided by the post:

• The first calf of the season, born to Catalog #1612 'Juno', tragically died from injuries sustained from a vessel strike shortly after its birth in early March.
• Four out of the nineteen mothers identified this winter were first-time mothers. Unfortunately, one of them, Catalog #3780, was later seen without her calf and is presumed dead.
• Mothers ranged in age from 16 to over 42 years old, with some females returning to calve after more than a decade.
• The calf of Catalog #1301 'Half Note' was only observed once with its mother, appearing thin. This wasn't unexpected as Half Note had lost her last five calves, all of which were thin before they died.
• Another calf, belonging to Catalog #3260 'Skittle', was also seen thin and later disappeared from its mother's side, presumed dead.
• Catalog #1950 died from a vessel strike, along with her approximately 3.5-month-old dependent calf.
• Five out of twelve calves born last winter returned to the Southeast U.S. as healthy, independent yearlings. Sadly, one of them was found dead near Savannah, GA, after being struck and killed by a vessel.
• No entangled right whales were sighted in the Southeast U.S. this winter, but Catalog #5120, a juvenile female, was found dead in Massachusetts in January with chronic entanglement injuries.

​The population faces threats from human-related stressors like fishing gear entanglement and vessel strikes. Long-term monitoring and mitigation efforts are crucial for their survival.