Overview

• An endangered North Atlantic right whale, first spotted in 1989 and known as #1950, was found dead off the Virginia coast, with its most recent offspring missing.
• The whale's death marks the 40th known mortality in the ongoing unusual mortality event (UME) impacting North Atlantic right whales since 2017.
• The population of North Atlantic right whales has plummeted 35% over the last 13 years, with an estimated 356 individuals remaining.
• Conservationists warn that 2024 is poised to be one of the deadliest years for right whales, urging for science-based regulations to prevent extinction.
• Boat strikes and entanglements in fishing gear, alongside climate change, are identified as the biggest threats to the survival of right whales.