Today, only about 300 occur there. The species is faced with the very real threat of extinction. Human-related mortality, including that caused by collisions with ships, is keeping the population small. Scientists, conservationists, and mariners in both the United States and Canada are working to address the threat of ship strikes, but they need help and collaboration from the marine shipping community. The shipping industry has made a number of important contributions to reducing ship strikes, but the threat lingers.
Ship strikes kill more right whales than any other documented source of human-related mortality.
Best estimates indicate that an average of about two deaths or serious injuries per year result from collisions with ships, and since 1991, about one-half of all recorded right whale deaths have been attributed to ship strikes. This may represent only a fraction of the total number of whales killed by ships, as many deaths may go undocumented if whales drift out to sea. While ships may hit individuals of any large whale species, right whales are especially susceptible. No other species sustains such a large percentage of deaths due to ship strikes. Their behavior undoubtedly contributes to this vulnerability.