NRDC Statement on Days-Old Endangered Whale Severely Injured by Ship Strike

Proposed SAVE the right whales Act needed to prevent devastation to species

New York – A days-old endangered right whale calf has already been brutally injured by an apparent ship strike. The injuries are deeply worrisome because of the severity and location of the wounds, including one near the mouth which could hamper its ability to nurse and feed.

A bipartisan bill in Congress, the Scientific Assistance for Very Endangered (SAVE) Right Whales Act (S. 2453/H.R. 1568), would support the recovery of the iconic and critically endangered North Atlantic right whale by providing funding to help reduce the primary causes of right whale deaths: entanglement and vessel collisions.

Following is a statement from Francine Kershaw, a staff scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council:

“The world cannot afford to lose another North Atlantic right whale, especially a juvenile. The heartbreaking news of a baby with severe injuries caused by a ship strike is not only shameful but preventable.  Congress must take action and pass the SAVE Right Whales Act immediately.”

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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at NRDC.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.​

 

 

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