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Right Whale Day spotlights issues facing Massachusetts' marine mammal

Right Whale Day spotlights issues facing Massachusetts' marine mammal
YOU MAY REMEMBER THIS INCREDIBLE MOMENT. THIS WAS BACK IN THE SUMMER OF 2022. THIS IS A LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER CAPTURING THE MOMENT A PLYMOUTH MAN CAME WITHIN FEET OF A BREACHED HUMPBACK WHALE. MIKE MANFRED SAID THE WHALE ITSELF WAS ABOUT 15FT LONG. NOW THAT WAS A HUMPBACK WHALE. TODAY IS ALL ABOUT THE NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE. AND THEY ARE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED. THERE ARE NOW FEWER THAN 360 REMAINING. AND OF THOSE ONLY AROUND 70 ARE BREEDING FEMALES. SO THAT IS A SMALL PART OF THE POPULATION TRYING TO EXTEND THE POPULATION WARMING OCEANS ARE SHIFTING THEIR FEEDING AND MIGRATION PATTERNS AS WELL. SO THERE IS A BIT OF A LINK TO CLIMATE CHANGE AS ONE OF THE THREATS TO THIS SPECIES. BUT THE OTHERS, AS YOU HEARD, HAVE TO DO WITH ENTANGLEMENT AND ALSO VESSEL STRIKES.
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Right Whale Day spotlights issues facing Massachusetts' marine mammal
The Healey-Driscoll Administration is partnering with the New England Aquarium on Wednesday to celebrate Massachusetts’ second annual Right Whale Day. The right whale is the state's official marine mammal, which is critically endangered.There are fewer than 360 right whales remaining, and of those, only 70 are breeding females.Officials said Right Whale Day serves as an important opportunity to educate the public, highlight expansive work and research to protect the species, and share ways to support right whale conservation. A report by the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium shows calving numbers continue to lag behind what scientists saw a decade ago. This past calving season, 11 calves were born, which is fewer than the previous two years.Scientists also said there continue to be elevated numbers of human-caused injuries to the whales from fishing gear entanglements and vessel strikes, the leading causes of the North Atlantic right whale’s decline.As part of the event, the Massachusetts Environmental Trust will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the right whale license plate, which has funded conservation projects across the state for three decades. Video below: How scientists identify and track right whales

The Healey-Driscoll Administration is partnering with the New England Aquarium on Wednesday to celebrate Massachusetts’ second annual Right Whale Day.

The right whale is the state's official marine mammal, which is critically endangered.

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There are fewer than 360 right whales remaining, and of those, only 70 are breeding females.

Officials said Right Whale Day serves as an important opportunity to educate the public, highlight expansive work and research to protect the species, and share ways to support right whale conservation.

A report by the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium shows calving numbers continue to lag behind what scientists saw a decade ago. This past calving season, 11 calves were born, which is fewer than the previous two years.

Scientists also said there continue to be elevated numbers of human-caused injuries to the whales from fishing gear entanglements and vessel strikes, the leading causes of the North Atlantic right whale’s decline.

As part of the event, the Massachusetts Environmental Trust will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the right whale license plate, which has funded conservation projects across the state for three decades.

Video below: How scientists identify and track right whales