Earlier this week, conservation and animal welfare groups filed a formal request to expand protected habitat for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. The petition, filed with the National Marine Fisheries Service, demonstrates scientific support for expanding existing critical habitat in areas that are essential to feeding, mating, calving, nursing and migration for the fewer than 400 North Atlantic right whales remaining in existence.
NMFS has publicly stated that the death of a single right whale may contribute to the species' extinction. Researchers predict right whales are certain to go extinct if the current rate of mortality and serious injury continues. However, saving just two female right whales a year could put the species on a positive path for recovery.
"Every single right whale counts when it comes to ensuring this species' survival," said Sharon Young, marine issues field director for The Humane Society of the United States. "Protecting the right whale's vital feeding, nursery and migratory habitat is the most basic, common-sense step toward moving this species out of the emergency room and onto the path to recovery."
The groups charge that current critical habitat boundaries are inadequate to provide for the survival and recovery of one of the most endangered animals on the planet. Once an area is designated as critical habitat, federal agencies must ensure that their actions will not adversely modify or destroy such habitat.
"Saying you're protecting right whales without sufficiently protecting their habitat is akin to saying you are going to protect sunfish while you drain the pond," said Regina Asmutis-Silvia, senior biologist with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. "Without protecting the places where right whales live, we cannot, in reality, save the species."
"Expanding critical habitat for right whales will ensure that we make intelligent, well-informed decisions about how we use and share our country's marine resources," said Sierra Weaver, attorney with Defenders of Wildlife. "This isn't about walling off the ocean, but rather about looking closely at the impacts of our actions on one of our most iconic wildlife species."
The groups request that three areas used by North Atlantic right whales for essential life functions be added as critical habitat. The petition seeks to expand critical habitat in the whales' only known calving grounds off the coast of northern Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, and in the whales' feeding and nursery grounds throughout the Gulf of Maine. The petition also calls for adding the migration route between the calving and wintering grounds as critical habitat.
"The current critical habitat designated for right whales only protects bits and pieces of the most essential feeding and nursery habitat for the species, and doesn't protect migratory habitat at all," said Andrea Treece, senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. "If we're going to save the right whale, we have to provide a way for right whale mothers to safely shepherd their young between feeding and nursery grounds."
Despite being listed as endangered since the early 1970s, right whales continue to face serious threats throughout their range. Fishing gear entanglement and vessel strikes are the two most significant threats, killing or injuring at least 18 whales since 2004. Other threats include noise from vessel traffic, marine construction and sonar; offshore energy development; global warming; ocean acidification; and pollution.
"In an increasingly busy ocean, the survival and recovery of the North Atlantic right whale depends on the protection of its essential habitat areas," said Vicki Cornish, director of Marine Wildlife Policy with Ocean Conservancy. "Our demand for ocean resources is increasing, and we must consider the impact we have on the animals that call the ocean home. Protecting the most vital places for the survival of the North Atlantic right whale will help protect the species for generations to come."
The Endangered Species Act requires NMFS to respond to the groups' request within 90 days.
Facts:
The petition for expanded right whale critical habitat was filed on behalf of The Humane Society of the United States, Defenders of Wildlife, Center for Biological Diversity, Ocean Conservancy and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.
The North Atlantic right whale is a critically endangered marine animal once hunted to near extinction by whalers. The population has struggled to recover, and now fewer than 400 North Atlantic right whales remain.
Adult female right whales reproduce slowly — they give birth to one calf every three to four years and do not reach reproductive maturity until age 8.
Maps of the proposed critical habitat areas are available from the media contacts.
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Showing posts with label right whale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label right whale. Show all posts
Friday, September 18, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Right Whale Records Set in Whale of a Season
A record-breaking season is drawing to a close as North Atlantic right whales head north for the summer. Research survey results indicate that the number of right whales spending the winter in the South again increased this year, a hopeful sign for these endangered marine giants.
Each winter, pregnant right whales travel to waters offshore of Georgia and Florida to give birth. Many other right whales also make the trip to the Southeast. In spring, the whales make their way back north to waters off New England and Canada, where they spend the summer months feeding on plankton. Research done by conservation partners including the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Trust and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, is helping wildlife biologists determine the status of the species.
Decimated by commercial whaling in the 19th century, approximately 400 North Atlantic right whales remain. This winter, almost 200 were sighted off the Georgia coast, up from 150 in 2008. The total includes 39 sets of mother and calf pairs, breaking the previous record of 31 calves set in 2001. The rest of the whales were juveniles and non-breeding adults. Whales are counted using aerial surveys and on-the-water monitoring.
Unfortunately, this season also set another record: five right whales were documented entangled in commercial fishing gear. The Georgia DNR, NOAA and other partners managed to free four of the five young whales. At least one was entangled in Canadian lobster gear. Gear removed from other whales also appeared to be lobster gear. In some instances, more than 500 feet of line had been dragged more than a thousand miles, resulting in potentially life-threatening injuries to the whales.
“Whales have shown up in the Southeast entangled in U.S. and Canadian lobster gear during previous years, also,” said Clay George, a natural resources biologist with the DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section. “While we are glad we were able to disentangle four of the whales this year, we need to find a way to keep whales from becoming entangled in the first place.”
Entanglement in commercial fishing rope is a leading cause of right whale mortality. More than 70 percent of the population has scars from entanglements.
From 2005-2007, researchers documented at least one adult whale mortality each year. This winter, however, marks the second in a row during which none were reported. There were two reported cases of calf mortalities, both from unknown causes. Ship strikes are another leading cause of right whale deaths.
Although positive about the increases in sightings, biologists stress that the road to recovery for North Atlantic right whales remains long. While the number of calves has risen, the number of breeding females has not. Right whale conservationists consider the latter number the most important statistic in determining the species’ recovery.
“Only one in four calves on average will live to become a mature breeding female. What that means is that each female right whale must have four calves within her lifetime to ‘replace’ herself within the population,” George said. “Given that it takes about 10 years for each female to reach breeding age, the whales will need many more calving seasons like this one before we see substantial growth in the population.”
Right whales are baleen whales with a bow-shaped lower jaw and a head that is up to one-quarter of the body length. Calves weigh approximately 1 ton at birth and adults can reach 60 tons and almost 50 feet in length. They have no dorsal fin and breathe through two blowholes on the top of their heads. These unique blowholes create a V-shaped blow, which also helps researchers identify the whales from a distance. Right whales can live for up to 70 years.
Protected from whaling since the 1930s, the whales are listed as a priority species in Georgia’s State Wildlife Action Plan, the blueprint for conservation in Georgia.
Although not hunted, right whales face continued conservation problems including ship strikes and entanglement in commercial fishing gear.
Researchers identify the whales by the unique pattern of callosities, or rough patches of skin, found on the whales’ heads and around their mouths. These patches are usually covered with whale lice, a type of crustacean, making the patches appear white. Photographs are used to tell which whale is being observed.
WHALE OF A SEASON
North Atlantic right whale estimates for winter 2008-09:
** Whales spotted: almost 200
** Mother-calf sets: 39
** Entanglements: 5 (four whales disentangled)
** Adult mortalities documented: 0
** Calf mortalities: 2 (causes unknown)
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Each winter, pregnant right whales travel to waters offshore of Georgia and Florida to give birth. Many other right whales also make the trip to the Southeast. In spring, the whales make their way back north to waters off New England and Canada, where they spend the summer months feeding on plankton. Research done by conservation partners including the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Trust and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, is helping wildlife biologists determine the status of the species.
Decimated by commercial whaling in the 19th century, approximately 400 North Atlantic right whales remain. This winter, almost 200 were sighted off the Georgia coast, up from 150 in 2008. The total includes 39 sets of mother and calf pairs, breaking the previous record of 31 calves set in 2001. The rest of the whales were juveniles and non-breeding adults. Whales are counted using aerial surveys and on-the-water monitoring.
Unfortunately, this season also set another record: five right whales were documented entangled in commercial fishing gear. The Georgia DNR, NOAA and other partners managed to free four of the five young whales. At least one was entangled in Canadian lobster gear. Gear removed from other whales also appeared to be lobster gear. In some instances, more than 500 feet of line had been dragged more than a thousand miles, resulting in potentially life-threatening injuries to the whales.
“Whales have shown up in the Southeast entangled in U.S. and Canadian lobster gear during previous years, also,” said Clay George, a natural resources biologist with the DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section. “While we are glad we were able to disentangle four of the whales this year, we need to find a way to keep whales from becoming entangled in the first place.”
Entanglement in commercial fishing rope is a leading cause of right whale mortality. More than 70 percent of the population has scars from entanglements.
From 2005-2007, researchers documented at least one adult whale mortality each year. This winter, however, marks the second in a row during which none were reported. There were two reported cases of calf mortalities, both from unknown causes. Ship strikes are another leading cause of right whale deaths.
Although positive about the increases in sightings, biologists stress that the road to recovery for North Atlantic right whales remains long. While the number of calves has risen, the number of breeding females has not. Right whale conservationists consider the latter number the most important statistic in determining the species’ recovery.
“Only one in four calves on average will live to become a mature breeding female. What that means is that each female right whale must have four calves within her lifetime to ‘replace’ herself within the population,” George said. “Given that it takes about 10 years for each female to reach breeding age, the whales will need many more calving seasons like this one before we see substantial growth in the population.”
Right whales are baleen whales with a bow-shaped lower jaw and a head that is up to one-quarter of the body length. Calves weigh approximately 1 ton at birth and adults can reach 60 tons and almost 50 feet in length. They have no dorsal fin and breathe through two blowholes on the top of their heads. These unique blowholes create a V-shaped blow, which also helps researchers identify the whales from a distance. Right whales can live for up to 70 years.
Protected from whaling since the 1930s, the whales are listed as a priority species in Georgia’s State Wildlife Action Plan, the blueprint for conservation in Georgia.
Although not hunted, right whales face continued conservation problems including ship strikes and entanglement in commercial fishing gear.
Researchers identify the whales by the unique pattern of callosities, or rough patches of skin, found on the whales’ heads and around their mouths. These patches are usually covered with whale lice, a type of crustacean, making the patches appear white. Photographs are used to tell which whale is being observed.
WHALE OF A SEASON
North Atlantic right whale estimates for winter 2008-09:
** Whales spotted: almost 200
** Mother-calf sets: 39
** Entanglements: 5 (four whales disentangled)
** Adult mortalities documented: 0
** Calf mortalities: 2 (causes unknown)
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Friday, January 23, 2009
Conservationists Fighting To Save Entangled Right Whales
Another entangled North Atlantic right whale was spotted off the coast of Georgia this week. This is the third entangled right whale to be spotted off the coasts of Georgia and northern Florida since the beginning of December. During the winter months, the waters off the southeastern U.S. are a calving ground for North Atlantic right whales. In a typical calving season, only one to two entangled right whales are sighted over a five-month period.
An aerial survey team from Wildlife Trust spotted the entangled right whale Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. about 18 miles to the east of Brunswick, Georgia. It was immediately apparent to the survey team that the whale was entangled due to the large amount of gear around the whale’s head and trailing behind the whale.
“We could see from the plane that the whale was smaller, only about 40 feet in length, and yet it was dragging five body lengths of line behind it as it swam through the water,” said Patricia Naessig, right whale aerial survey coordinator for Wildlife Trust. The whale has since been identified as a six-year-old juvenile born in 2003. Adult right whales are known to reach 45 to 50 feet in length and can weight up to 55 tons.
As the aerial survey team tracked the whale, a boat based disentanglement team consisting of biologists from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Wildlife Trust headed out yesterday afternoon in hopes of possibly removing some of the gear from the whale.
Once the disentanglement team arrived on the scene, they quickly noted that there were multiple lines going through the whale’s mouth that twisted together on the left side of the whale’s head, with three trailing lines each extending about 200 feet behind the whale. Of particular interest was an orange buoy wrapped tightly into the entangling gear. If the buoy can be retrieved at some point, it will give biologists a better idea of where the whale first became entangled.
Just before sunset, the disentanglement team was successful in cutting off nearly 175 yards of synthetic rope approximately ½ inch in diameter. They were also able to collect a biopsy sample that may be used to determine the sex of the young whale. Additionally, a tracking buoy was attached to the remaining trailing line on the whale. The tracking buoy will allow for the whale to be located again for further documentation and disentanglement attempts.
“For now the whale appears to be in pretty decent condition,” said Clay George, a biologist with the DNR Nongame Conservation Section. “However there are significant cuts from the gear and it will more than likely deteriorate without further intervention.”
Last seen off the coast of Florida near Jacksonville, the case is being assessed by NOAA and other agencies to determine further action. An aerial survey team and boat based team from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) set out today from Florida to attempt to photograph the whale. It is hoped that further documentation of the entanglement will allow researchers to determine the best plan of action to help the whale.
“While we don’t know at this time what type of gear it is, we do know that it is consistent with what has been previously found on the other two whales this season and in the past,” George said. “More than likely we will find that it is not gear from the southeast.”
Previously recovered gear including lobster traps and long-lines has been traced back to the northeastern waters of New England and the Canadian Maritime Provinces.
“We are seeing right whales off of Georgia and Florida that have dragged lobster pot ropes over one thousand miles,” said Brad Winn, Program Manager for DNR Nongame Conservation Section. “A number of these whales are critically entangled, and will ultimately die from being wrapped and cut by the lines. This is a serious and chronic issue that needs to be addressed if this species is going to continue to exist.”
NOAA will be conducting an investigation going forward.
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An aerial survey team from Wildlife Trust spotted the entangled right whale Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. about 18 miles to the east of Brunswick, Georgia. It was immediately apparent to the survey team that the whale was entangled due to the large amount of gear around the whale’s head and trailing behind the whale.
“We could see from the plane that the whale was smaller, only about 40 feet in length, and yet it was dragging five body lengths of line behind it as it swam through the water,” said Patricia Naessig, right whale aerial survey coordinator for Wildlife Trust. The whale has since been identified as a six-year-old juvenile born in 2003. Adult right whales are known to reach 45 to 50 feet in length and can weight up to 55 tons.
As the aerial survey team tracked the whale, a boat based disentanglement team consisting of biologists from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Wildlife Trust headed out yesterday afternoon in hopes of possibly removing some of the gear from the whale.
Once the disentanglement team arrived on the scene, they quickly noted that there were multiple lines going through the whale’s mouth that twisted together on the left side of the whale’s head, with three trailing lines each extending about 200 feet behind the whale. Of particular interest was an orange buoy wrapped tightly into the entangling gear. If the buoy can be retrieved at some point, it will give biologists a better idea of where the whale first became entangled.
Just before sunset, the disentanglement team was successful in cutting off nearly 175 yards of synthetic rope approximately ½ inch in diameter. They were also able to collect a biopsy sample that may be used to determine the sex of the young whale. Additionally, a tracking buoy was attached to the remaining trailing line on the whale. The tracking buoy will allow for the whale to be located again for further documentation and disentanglement attempts.
“For now the whale appears to be in pretty decent condition,” said Clay George, a biologist with the DNR Nongame Conservation Section. “However there are significant cuts from the gear and it will more than likely deteriorate without further intervention.”
Last seen off the coast of Florida near Jacksonville, the case is being assessed by NOAA and other agencies to determine further action. An aerial survey team and boat based team from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) set out today from Florida to attempt to photograph the whale. It is hoped that further documentation of the entanglement will allow researchers to determine the best plan of action to help the whale.
“While we don’t know at this time what type of gear it is, we do know that it is consistent with what has been previously found on the other two whales this season and in the past,” George said. “More than likely we will find that it is not gear from the southeast.”
Previously recovered gear including lobster traps and long-lines has been traced back to the northeastern waters of New England and the Canadian Maritime Provinces.
“We are seeing right whales off of Georgia and Florida that have dragged lobster pot ropes over one thousand miles,” said Brad Winn, Program Manager for DNR Nongame Conservation Section. “A number of these whales are critically entangled, and will ultimately die from being wrapped and cut by the lines. This is a serious and chronic issue that needs to be addressed if this species is going to continue to exist.”
NOAA will be conducting an investigation going forward.
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Thursday, December 18, 2008
Project Listens for Right Whales, in Hopes of Helping Them
Right whales are talking, but is anyone listening? Research planned off the Georgia coast this winter may help scientists determine whether whale calls can be used to protect endangered right whales.
Collisions with ships are a leading cause of North Atlantic right whale deaths. With right whale numbers estimated at only about 400, the loss of one breeding female can affect the species. For more than 20 years, the primary way of reducing ship strikes has been through aerial surveys, which are costly, dangerous and ineffective at night and in bad weather. Thanks to improvements in technology, another method is coming online – locating whales by their calls.
This method, referred to as passive acoustic detection, uses computerized buoys that listen for right whale calls and immediately report those calls to land using a cellular or satellite telephone link.
Scientists from Cornell University and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution recently installed the first full-scale, real-time passive acoustic detection system in Cape Cod Bay. (Check www.listenforwhales.org/ for updates on whales detected.) When a right whale vocalization is detected, certain ships entering Cape Cod Bay are notified and required to slow to 10 knots.
Passive acoustic detection has been proposed as a way to protect right whales in their calving areas along the Georgia and Florida coast. Research has shown that right whales also call in the Southeast, and related projects are in the works, building on years of study in the Northeast. But a central question remains: Do cows with calves vocalize or is it the larger numbers of non-breeding whales that are calling?
Some have speculated that cows with calves may be quieter than other whales, perhaps to avoid attracting predators. If so, passive acoustic detection techniques would be poorly suited to protecting the most valuable demographic component of the population – breeding females.
Biologists from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service hope to answer this question during the upcoming right whale calving season. They plan to attach temporary recording devices called Bioacoustic Probes or B-Probes on the backs of up to 10 right whale cows with calves.
The probe tags are about a foot long and attach to the whales’ rubbery skin with suction cups. The process sounds deceivingly simple: A whale is approached by boat. The tag is attached to the whale’s back with a handheld pole. The probe records vocalizations and ambient sound for up to 12 hours. Then it pops off and is relocated using a VHF radio receiver.
“While maneuvering the 23-foot tagging boat within 15 feet of a 50-foot-long, 50-ton swimming right whale will certainly be challenging, the biggest challenge will likely be whether or not the tags stay on for the full recording time,” said biologist Clay George, of the DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division. “Right whale calves frequently roll back and forth across their mothers’ backs, which may cause the tags to detach prematurely.”
If successful, the project could help determine whether passive acoustic detection is a viable management option in the Southeast. The project will take place from January through March 2009. Scientists at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center will analyze the acoustic data. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Fisheries Service and the DNR’s Nongame Wildlife Conservation Fund are providing funding.
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Collisions with ships are a leading cause of North Atlantic right whale deaths. With right whale numbers estimated at only about 400, the loss of one breeding female can affect the species. For more than 20 years, the primary way of reducing ship strikes has been through aerial surveys, which are costly, dangerous and ineffective at night and in bad weather. Thanks to improvements in technology, another method is coming online – locating whales by their calls.
This method, referred to as passive acoustic detection, uses computerized buoys that listen for right whale calls and immediately report those calls to land using a cellular or satellite telephone link.
Scientists from Cornell University and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution recently installed the first full-scale, real-time passive acoustic detection system in Cape Cod Bay. (Check www.listenforwhales.org/ for updates on whales detected.) When a right whale vocalization is detected, certain ships entering Cape Cod Bay are notified and required to slow to 10 knots.
Passive acoustic detection has been proposed as a way to protect right whales in their calving areas along the Georgia and Florida coast. Research has shown that right whales also call in the Southeast, and related projects are in the works, building on years of study in the Northeast. But a central question remains: Do cows with calves vocalize or is it the larger numbers of non-breeding whales that are calling?
Some have speculated that cows with calves may be quieter than other whales, perhaps to avoid attracting predators. If so, passive acoustic detection techniques would be poorly suited to protecting the most valuable demographic component of the population – breeding females.
Biologists from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service hope to answer this question during the upcoming right whale calving season. They plan to attach temporary recording devices called Bioacoustic Probes or B-Probes on the backs of up to 10 right whale cows with calves.
The probe tags are about a foot long and attach to the whales’ rubbery skin with suction cups. The process sounds deceivingly simple: A whale is approached by boat. The tag is attached to the whale’s back with a handheld pole. The probe records vocalizations and ambient sound for up to 12 hours. Then it pops off and is relocated using a VHF radio receiver.
“While maneuvering the 23-foot tagging boat within 15 feet of a 50-foot-long, 50-ton swimming right whale will certainly be challenging, the biggest challenge will likely be whether or not the tags stay on for the full recording time,” said biologist Clay George, of the DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division. “Right whale calves frequently roll back and forth across their mothers’ backs, which may cause the tags to detach prematurely.”
If successful, the project could help determine whether passive acoustic detection is a viable management option in the Southeast. The project will take place from January through March 2009. Scientists at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center will analyze the acoustic data. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Fisheries Service and the DNR’s Nongame Wildlife Conservation Fund are providing funding.
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Friday, December 5, 2008
Georgia Welcomes Back State’s Marine Mammal: Right Whales
It is seen from a research vessel lookout – a solitary V-shaped “blow” and then something dark on the water’s surface. Often, the return of right whales to Georgia is as subtle as that. But this winter, thanks to a new ruling more of these imperiled whales will have a better chance at making the annual journey safely.
In October, the National Marine Fisheries Service established a rule that will implement speed restrictions for vessels 65 feet or longer. The restrictions call for a speed of no more than 10 knots during certain times of the year in areas designated as critical right whale habitat along the U.S. Atlantic seaboard. The rule goes into effect Dec. 9, 2008. Shipping interests can find additional information at http://www.nero.noaa.gov/shipstrike/.
Biologists with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are spreading the word about the rule while also gearing up for the first few sightings of these rare aquatic giants.
It is important to note that not only commercial ships can cause mortal injuries to right whales. Recreational fishing boats and other large personal recreational boats can also have a devastating impact on the whales, which are found as close as three miles offshore depending on water depth. Although larger recreational boats are not required to adhere to the commercial speed limit, NOAA recommends they heed the rule as well.
North Atlantic right whales spend the summer in the cooler waters off New England and Canada. Each fall, a portion of the population returns to Georgia and Florida for the winter. Annual research done by the DNR Wildlife Resources Division and NOAA from December through March is helping wildlife biologists determine the status of these endangered animals.
Approximately 150 right whales were seen off the Georgia coast during the 2008 season. The total included 19 sets of mother and calf pairs, as well as juveniles and single animals. Whales are counted using aerial surveys and on-the-water monitoring.
2008 marked the first year since 2005 that no adult mortalities were reported. There were two reported cases of calf mortalities last year, both from unknown causes.
Researchers identify right whales by the unique pattern of callosities, or rough patches of skin, found on the whales’ heads and around their mouths. These patches are usually covered with whale lice, crustaceans that make the patches appear white. Photographs are used to tell which whale is being observed.
Right whales are baleen whales with a bow-shaped lower jaw and a head that is up to one-quarter of the body length. Calves weigh approximately 1 ton at birth and adults can reach 60 tons and almost 50 feet in length. They have no dorsal fin and breathe through two blowholes on the top of their heads. These blowholes create a unique V-shaped blow, which also helps researchers identify the whales from a distance.
Right whales were nearly driven to extinction by commercial whaling in the late 19th century. Commercial harvest was banned in 1935. Today the North Atlantic right whale is classified as endangered under U.S. and Georgia law. Right whales are listed as a priority species in Georgia’s State Wildlife Action Plan, the blueprint for conservation in the state. Georgia adopted the right whale as its state mammal in 1985.
Although not hunted now, right whales face conservation problems including ship strikes, entanglement in commercial fishing gear and habitat destruction. Even after nearly 50 years of protected status, there are only an estimated 300 to 400 North Atlantic right whales left.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
** Be wise stewards of Georgia's natural environment and enjoy the outdoors responsibly. If boating off the Georgia coast from December to April, follow the Guidelines for Navigating in Right Whale Waters, available on the DNR Coastal Resources Division’s Web page, http://crd.dnr.state.ga.us . Report right whale sightings by calling (800) 272-8363. For more information, please visit http://crd.dnr.state.ga.us .
** Buy a nongame wildlife license plate. The DNR Wildlife Resources Division’s Nongame Conservation Section, which works to conserve nongame species such as right whales, receives no state appropriations. Instead, the section relies on federal grants, donations and fundraisers like license plate sales. Nongame plates featuring a bald eagle or a ruby-throated hummingbird are available for $25 at all county tag offices, by checking the appropriate box on mail-in forms or through online renewal at http://mvd.dor.ga.gov/tags.
** Donate to the Nongame Conservation Section’s work through the Give Wildlife a Chance State Income Tax Checkoff. Simply fill in a dollar amount on line 26 of the long tax form (Form 500) or line 10 of the short form (Form 500EZ).
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In October, the National Marine Fisheries Service established a rule that will implement speed restrictions for vessels 65 feet or longer. The restrictions call for a speed of no more than 10 knots during certain times of the year in areas designated as critical right whale habitat along the U.S. Atlantic seaboard. The rule goes into effect Dec. 9, 2008. Shipping interests can find additional information at http://www.nero.noaa.gov/shipstrike/.
Biologists with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are spreading the word about the rule while also gearing up for the first few sightings of these rare aquatic giants.
It is important to note that not only commercial ships can cause mortal injuries to right whales. Recreational fishing boats and other large personal recreational boats can also have a devastating impact on the whales, which are found as close as three miles offshore depending on water depth. Although larger recreational boats are not required to adhere to the commercial speed limit, NOAA recommends they heed the rule as well.
North Atlantic right whales spend the summer in the cooler waters off New England and Canada. Each fall, a portion of the population returns to Georgia and Florida for the winter. Annual research done by the DNR Wildlife Resources Division and NOAA from December through March is helping wildlife biologists determine the status of these endangered animals.
Approximately 150 right whales were seen off the Georgia coast during the 2008 season. The total included 19 sets of mother and calf pairs, as well as juveniles and single animals. Whales are counted using aerial surveys and on-the-water monitoring.
2008 marked the first year since 2005 that no adult mortalities were reported. There were two reported cases of calf mortalities last year, both from unknown causes.
Researchers identify right whales by the unique pattern of callosities, or rough patches of skin, found on the whales’ heads and around their mouths. These patches are usually covered with whale lice, crustaceans that make the patches appear white. Photographs are used to tell which whale is being observed.
Right whales are baleen whales with a bow-shaped lower jaw and a head that is up to one-quarter of the body length. Calves weigh approximately 1 ton at birth and adults can reach 60 tons and almost 50 feet in length. They have no dorsal fin and breathe through two blowholes on the top of their heads. These blowholes create a unique V-shaped blow, which also helps researchers identify the whales from a distance.
Right whales were nearly driven to extinction by commercial whaling in the late 19th century. Commercial harvest was banned in 1935. Today the North Atlantic right whale is classified as endangered under U.S. and Georgia law. Right whales are listed as a priority species in Georgia’s State Wildlife Action Plan, the blueprint for conservation in the state. Georgia adopted the right whale as its state mammal in 1985.
Although not hunted now, right whales face conservation problems including ship strikes, entanglement in commercial fishing gear and habitat destruction. Even after nearly 50 years of protected status, there are only an estimated 300 to 400 North Atlantic right whales left.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
** Be wise stewards of Georgia's natural environment and enjoy the outdoors responsibly. If boating off the Georgia coast from December to April, follow the Guidelines for Navigating in Right Whale Waters, available on the DNR Coastal Resources Division’s Web page, http://crd.dnr.state.ga.us . Report right whale sightings by calling (800) 272-8363. For more information, please visit http://crd.dnr.state.ga.us .
** Buy a nongame wildlife license plate. The DNR Wildlife Resources Division’s Nongame Conservation Section, which works to conserve nongame species such as right whales, receives no state appropriations. Instead, the section relies on federal grants, donations and fundraisers like license plate sales. Nongame plates featuring a bald eagle or a ruby-throated hummingbird are available for $25 at all county tag offices, by checking the appropriate box on mail-in forms or through online renewal at http://mvd.dor.ga.gov/tags.
** Donate to the Nongame Conservation Section’s work through the Give Wildlife a Chance State Income Tax Checkoff. Simply fill in a dollar amount on line 26 of the long tax form (Form 500) or line 10 of the short form (Form 500EZ).
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