December 1, reporters flocked to the Georgia seaside to catch a hopeful glimpse of the highly endangered North Atlantic Right Whale’s first calf of the season. The hope of conservationists increased as several other whales emerged pregnant, and helped replenish the currently depleted population of approximately 370 individual whales.
The population continues to decrease due to a majority of unprecedented deaths occurring from either vessel strikes or entanglement in local fishery nets. As the numbers continued to decline in earlier years, legislation created laws that would protect the ever-dwindling mammals. The Right Whale Coexistence Act of 2022, one of the copious amounts of bills and laws passed to protect endangered animals, states that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides necessary funding and financial support for projects designed to reduce the presence of harmful human activities.
“As long as the calves are being born and protected, the population should continue to increase and reduce the stress of extinction. I love ocean animals and the birth of this new Right Whale calf excites me because this means that the species is not hopeless and can come back from the brink of devastating extinction. Any federal protection will be beneficial as long as it is enforced,” magnet junior Savannah Rader said.
With the installation of this bill, the NOAA began to provide the financial support needed to prevent the impending extinction of the Right Whale. In 2024, the recent Inflation Reduction Act passed by the Biden Administration in 2022, provided $82 million in donations to the conservation of whale populations. With this influx of donated cash, the NOAA plans to utilize and improve new technologies to reduce vessel strike risks and increase the usage of on-demand fishing gear. As a result of these implementations, Right Whale populations will likely increase and a lower amount of unusual deaths will occur.
The NOAA follows the 2021-2025 Priority Action Plan, which encourages large corporations, such as the NOAA, to participate in the conservation of priority animals nearing extinction such as these whales. However, the NOAA does not remain the only company assisting the 2021-2025 Priority Action Plan. MITRE, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the safety of the world with an increased focus on technology, partnered with the NOAA to develop the necessary technologies surrounding whale detection and strike avoidance. Technologies similar to sonar and camera systems currently predict the locations of mammals in nearby waters and new technologies alert fishing vessels of whales within a certain distance.
“I would love to go and see the whales on a boat but I can’t do that if they are extinct. I appreciate all the legislation that has been implemented to protect these adorable mammals as they allow future generations to experience them. Experiences with whales and other marine animals are extremely special and should be cherished,” magnet senior Jax Evans said.
As the mating season for the Right Whale returns to full swing, scientists remain watchful of the current populations and monitor the pregnancy and birth of new whales. While the birth of a new whale brings about enthusiastic responses, whale mothers birth only a single calf after a year-long pregnancy, although the calf does not reach sexual maturity until age 10. With the recent spotting of Black Heart, scientists and fellow conservationists look forward to the newest additions to the population.
