The North Atlantic right whale population has shown a slow but steady increase, with an estimated 384 animals now recorded, up eight from the previous year, according to a report released on Tuesday by the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium. This marks a more than 7% increase from the 2020 population, offering a glimmer of hope for one of the world's rarest whale species.
The population had fallen by about 25% from 2010 to 2020, largely due to threats from ship collisions and entanglement in fishing gear. However, new conservation measures, particularly in Canada's Gulf of St Lawrence, have been credited with helping to reverse the decline. Philip Hamilton, a senior scientist at the New England Aquarium's Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, said: 'We know that a modest increase every year, if we can sustain it, will lead to population growth. It's just whether or not we can sustain it.'
While the recovery is encouraging, scientists caution that the whales still face significant threats. Low reproduction rates have been a concern, but this year saw 11 calves born, including four from first-time mothers. Heather Pettis, who leads the right whale research program at the Cabot Center, said: 'The slight increase in the population estimate, coupled with no detected mortalities and fewer detected injuries than in the last several years, leaves us cautiously optimistic about the future of North Atlantic right whales.'
Environmental groups, however, warn that the species remains on the brink of extinction. Gib Brogan, senior campaign director at Oceana, said: 'Continued attacks on the Marine Mammal Protection Act and efforts to weaken NOAA's science-based safeguards put this fragile population at even greater risk.' The whales, once hunted to near extinction, continue to rely on robust protection measures to ensure their survival.
