Most ship strikes are fatal. Right whales either cannot detect or do not perceive on-coming ships as a threat and may make little effort to avoid them. Thus, mariners cannot assume that whales will move out of their path. Mariners may have difficulty in seeing right whales because of their dark color and low profile in the water. Although other large whale species are victims of ship strikes, the behavior of right whales makes them particularly vulnerable to collisions.
Right whales swim close to shore and in areas in or adjacent to major shipping lanes.
Ship cross their feeding and calving areas, and migratory corridors. Right whales also spend much of their time at the surface, feeding, resting, mating, and nursing. Calves are particularly vulnerable, because they spend most of their time at the surface due to their undeveloped diving capabilities. Ship strikes contribute to the critically endangered status of this species.