Critically Endangered Right Whale Calf Dies After Vessel Strike

The first North Atlantic right whale calf of the season succumbs to injuries, underscoring the urgent need for increased marine protections.

A North Atlantic right whale calf, the first born this season, has died after a vessel strike, marking a significant loss for the critically endangered species.
The calf, identified as the offspring of a whale named Juno, was first observed with severe injuries in January and was found dead on Georgia's Cumberland Island.
NOAA Fisheries and other agencies are conducting a necropsy to evaluate the vessel strike wounds and determine the cause of death.
The death of this calf highlights the ongoing threats of vessel strikes and entanglements, which have been major factors in the decline of the North Atlantic right whale population.
Conservationists are calling for increased protections and amendments to vessel speed rules to prevent future tragedies and help save the species from extinction.