Right Whales On The Rise: Ship Strikes on Their Way Out

Right Whales

The measures meant to put a stop to the extinction of one of the world’s most endangered marine animals appear to be having an effect, as the population of the North Atlantic right whales rises slightly as the deaths linked to ship strikes decline just a tad.

A research scientist, who has been studying these large, yet graceful animals has said that the numbers they are seeing suggest that the initiatives in both the United States and Canada that make ships steer clear of areas where the animals have been spotted could be helping them to bounce back.

“I think the ship-strike problem has been reduced,” explained a research scientist at the New England Aquarium in Boston, Amy Knowlton.

“Certainly they’re much better protected from ship strikes than they ever have been, so we’re hopeful that the number of mortalities from that sort of thing will reduce.”

Knowlton, who is planning on continuing the study of the right whale over the course of the next few months in the Bay of Fundy, has explained that they could be witnessing signs that the regulations on speed and ship routing have been having a beneficial effect on the right whale populations.

It’s good to know that someone is finally standing up for the “right” thing.