Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale Population Is Slowly Increasing, Scientists Say

Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale Population Is Slowly Increasing, Scientists Say

Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale Population Is Slowly Increasing, Scientists Say A North Atlantic right whale – credit, NOAA via AP Scientists studying the North Atlantic right whale have celebrated a year without mortalities in which four new whale mothers entered the breeding population. 11 calves were born this year, the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium reported in a document released Tuesday. Covered by AP, the animals have now increased to 384 individuals thanks to increased measures to protect these gentle giants from collisions with ships and entanglement with fishing gear: two of their main threats. Living as their name suggests in the North Atlantic Ocean, the animals were heavily targeted by whalers in the 18th century, but have been federally protected for decades following the commercial whaling ban in 1982. “The slight increase in the population estimate, coupled with no detected mortalities and fewer detected injuries than in the last several years, leaves us cautiou…