Cape Cod Bay recently reported several sightings of the North Atlantic right whales. After several weeks of false alarms, the team, led by experts from the Research Vessel Shearwater, was able to spot the rare mammalian swimmers. The group found three individuals of the cetaceans, including a mother-calf pair, which is considered an uncommon set to be seen in the wild.
The marine biologists did not hesitate to capture the stunning images of the infrequent animals. From this process, the whales will be tracked and evaluated for injuries.
Preservation of Eubalaena glacialis in North Atlantic
A right whales tail creates a splash as it performs a tail slap in the water, as seen from the research vessel Shearwater, during a Right Whale research expedition with the Center for Coastal Studies (NOAA permit 25740-01) in Cape Cod Bay, off the coast of Massachusetts, on April 5, 2022. Scientists are studying the endangered whale population at risk for rope entanglements. - After four hours at sea and some false hopes, the Shearwater makes its first sighting: Three North Atlantic right whales, including an elusive mother-calf pair, on a bright spring day in Cape Cod Bay. The captain cuts the engines, and a trio of marine biologists swings into action, reeling off photos and noting markings that can be used to identify individuals and track injuries -- vital conservation work for a critically endangered species that today numbers just 336 individuals. - MANDATORY CREDIT - Center for Coastal Studies' NOAA permit 25740-01
The rare sighting is an important breakthrough for the scientists deployed at the place because the images taken from the whales serve as a vital part of a wider conservation effort for the remaining 336 members of the species.
Some laws were already passed and initiated to ban the whaling activities in Cape Cod Bay. But even though the strict regulations have kept the North Atlantic right whales from the one activity that pushed them to near-extinction, there are other instances in which the population of these cetaceans is endangered.
Cases include the unintentional collision of the whales with marine vessels and their entrapment in fishing gear.
The North Atlantic right whales, or Eubalaena glacialis, are listed among the most endangered species. They are the third-largest living whale species, measuring over 18 meters in length and about 70,000 kilograms in weight.
These whales have a lifespan that is similar to humans. Some of them even reach an age of over a century.
Provincetown's Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) lead expert Christy Hudak explained that, since 2010, the population of the North Atlantic right whales had decreased significantly.
Continues Effort to Improve Growth Rates of North Atlantic Right Whale Population
CCS is New England's marine preservation team that monitors the area for the safety and conservation of its remaining species.
Most of their crew operations are backed up by an aerial survey plane and are accompanied by separate research groups.
The team is equipped with advanced technologies, such as mini-drones and high-quality imaging instruments that cater to the aloof sightings of many marine animals and ensure the upward trend of their growth rates.
The region has a policy that limits the speed of ships by 10 knots. In recent years, the authorities added contributing measures such as limiting ropes between buoys and even the traps for marine foods on the seafloor.
According to the preservationists, climate change is among the most common factors that decrease the population of the North Atlantic right whales, even with the absence of excessive whaling activities.
The change in marine habitat temperatures affected the availability of the Calanus finmarchicus, a crustacean species that are oil-rich and identified as the favorite meal of the whales. These animals became scarce in their supposed underwater homes, stretching from Florida state to Canadian regions.
Cape Cod Bay was deemed a hotspot for North Atlantic right whale sightings, as the waters in the area do not become warm as fast as in other places. PhysOrg report, their population was over 20,000 before the intensive whaling occurred. But by the start of the 20th century, they dropped to only hundreds.
RELATED ARTICLE: Pangolins Rescued from Trafficking in South Africa Now at Recovery
Check out more news and information on Endangered Animals in Science Times.