Little miracle off Georgia: a right whale with a fishing rope entangled in its mouth gives birth to a baby
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himA few days ago off the coast of Georgia, an event occurred that surprised marine biologists: a right whale, a critically endangered species, managed to give birth to a cub, despite being left with a piece of fishing net. in the mouth. For experts it is a small miracle, since the cetacean - renamed Snow cone - he has been hauling his fishing line for months, probably from March 2021 (when he was first spotted off the coast of Massachusetts) or even earlier.
Despite the suffering, the extraordinary strength of a mother prevailed.
Snow Cone & Calf Spotted Off Cumberland Island
Snow Cone and Calf Spotted off Cumberland Island! ?North Atlantic Right Whale #3560, or Snow Cone, was first seen entangled in March 2021 in Cape Cod Bay. Several disentanglement attempts were made in which the trailing rope was successfully shortened. The calf is new and the second documented in the Southeast this season! It's not entangled, but has been observed swimming in, through and around the ropes. General opinion is that they are short enough that the calf likely won't become entangled if everything remains as is. Based on the period of the mother’s entanglement and general health assessments, we believe the entanglement is not immediately life threatening, but we and other partners working to conserve right whales will monitor the situation. Vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing gear, like lobster and crab pots, are major threats to North Atlantic right whales, which are critically endangered. It’s estimated that fewer than 350 individuals remain, of which only about 70 are breeding females. Please help keep them safe while out boating along the East Coast. If you see one, heed the law and stay at least 500 yards away. Learn more about right whales at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/north-atlantic-right-whale.MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife aerial survey team spotted this mother-calf pair about 10 nautical miles off Cumberland Island, Georgia on December 2nd. Georgia DNR responded by boat. Aerial footage taken under National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) permit 20556 | Clearwater Marine Aquarium #EndangeredSpecies #Whales #WildlifeConservation
Posted by Wildlife Resources Division – Georgia DNR on Friday, December 3, 2021
We've never seen a whale entangled like that come down here from the north and give birth to a baby - explains Clay George, wildlife biologist at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources - It's incredible.
According to marine wildlife experts, the cub appears to be healthy and unharmed. But what worries above all is the fate of the mother.
"It could ultimately still be a death sentence for her: mum whale may have difficulty both breastfeeding her baby and still have the energy needed to continue dragging the line while also trying to recover from potential mouth injuries." George clarifies.
The difficult existence of Snow Cone and the other right whales
When Snow Cone was first spotted in Cape Cod Bay (off the coast of Massachusetts), a team of experts from Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans stepped in to do what they could and managed to shorten the rope. more than 100 meters long, but unfortunately not to free it completely and for now they prefer not to intervene again because it would be too delicate and risky.
Snow Cone has had to deal with several dramas in her life and it is not the first time she becomes a mother. In March 2020, the right whale gave birth to her first baby, but a couple of months later the baby was found dead off the coast of New Jersey. As the autopsy later revealed, it was the serious injuries sustained after he was hit multiple times by ships that killed him.
Unfortunately, the right whales they are among the most threatened cetaceans on the planet. According to data provided by the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium, last year alone the population of this species was reduced by 10% and today only about 330 specimens remain, which have to deal with continuous threats including illegal fishing and collisions. with ships. And due to these factors and the consequences of the climate crisis, these ocean giants are shrinking at an eerie rate. According to a recent study, the youngest specimens of North Atlantic right whales are about one meter smaller than their ancestors.
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Source: NOAA
Read also:
- The breathtaking images of the close encounter between mother whale and her cub with the astonished surfers
- These giants of the deep are shrinking: right whales shorter than a meter from fishing nets
