The group announced Friday it has filed suit against U.S. federal agencies and officials for failing to protect endangered right whales in U.S. waters. If a stand is not made here and now, our generation will be responsible for the loss of this irreplaceable species. With fewer than 300 left, the North Atlantic right whale is considered the most endangered large whale species in the world.
Whale species face threats the world over but few more so than the North Atlantic right whale.
Once roaming the Atlantic in the tens of thousands, the right whale was hunted to the brink of extinction by the early 20th century. Several characteristics made these whales particularly attractive to whalers, including its slow speed, habit of sticking close to coastlines, and large size - the whales can reach up to 60 feet in length and weigh up to 55 tons. The right whale s thick blubber supply makes it float to the surface when it is killed, allowing for easy retrieval and removal of meat, oil and other valued products. Though the North Atlantic right whale has been internationally protected since 1935, its numbers have increased little and now are falling. Facing the whales are a host of 21st century threats, including ship collisions, fishing gear entanglements and pollution.