Endangered Right Whale Found Dead Off Martha's Vineyard

Overview

• A critically endangered North Atlantic right whale was found dead off the coast of Martha's Vineyard, entangled in a rope.
• The whale was a juvenile female, a significant loss for the species as fewer than 70 reproductively active females remain.
• Entanglement in fishing gear and vessel strikes are the leading causes of death for right whales.
• Efforts to protect the species, which numbers less than 360, have been controversial, with some industries pushing back against tighter regulations.
• A necropsy is planned to determine the exact cause of death.