Creating a legacy means leaving something to be valued and treasured by those who survive after your death.
Donate today and create a legacy of hope in honor of the SEVEN critically endangered North Atlantic right whales who have died in the last 90 days.
At the end of March, another critically endangered North Atlantic right whale was discovered. She was identified as #1950, at least 35 years old, and one of fewer than 70 reproductively active remaining females. Her death alone is tragic as it is, but our grief is compounded as she was last seen in January with her sixth known calf. That calf will not survive without its mother.
So far in 2024, seven North Atlantic right whales have been reported dead or critically injured. In addition to this whale and her calf, #5120, another juvenile female was found dead earlier this month, likely due to a chronic entanglement in fishing gear. Juno’s 2024 calf was struck by a vessel in January, and both Half Note and #3780 have been seen without their newborns who are missing and presumed dead.
The 19 new calves of the 2023-2024 North Atlantic right whale calving season bring hope for the future, but with only 15 calves still alive, the survival of this species is in constant danger of human-made threats. Since 2020, at least 30 North Atlantic right whales have died or been injured from known entanglements and 10 have died or been injured by vessel strikes.
With your help, we are committed to reducing these human-made threats. How?
- By reducing the risk of accidental entanglements. We’re working with fishermen, NMFS, industry leaders, and other NGOs to test on-demand fishing gear. This new technology removes the dangers of static vertical lines – the lines fishermen must have on their pots to retrieve them – allowing whales to safely use the fishery waters. WDC is entering its fifth season of testing on-demand gear. Since 2020, the number of successful hauls of on-demand gear has increased by more than 2700 percent! With a success rate of over 90 percent and nearly 200 units actively deployed, we continue to improve the efficiency of this innovative on-demand gear. To improve the safety of the gear, we are working with our partners to have a man overboard release and alarm system ready for use by 2026.
- By collaborating with other NGOs to…
Help us turn the tragic death of these whales into a legacy of hope – not just for the remaining North Atlantic right whales, but for the health of our ocean and our shared planet.