CUMBERLAND ISLAND, Ga. – The first right whale calf to be born off the Southeast during the 2023-24 season has been found dead – likely a result from a collision with a large vessel.
According to NOAA Fisheries, the calf belonging to right whale #1612, who goes by the nickname of “Juno,” was first spotted off the coast of South Carolina in November but sometime between Thanksgiving and the New Year, sustained serious injuries.
According to biologists, significant injuries to its head, mouth and lip were the result of a vessel strike while off the Southeast coast.
The whale species spends most of its time off the coast of Canada and the Northeast before migrating around 1,000 miles southward for the calving season during the winter.
“A beacon of hope has turned into a tragedy. Human activity has set this species on a collision course with extinction. With an amended vessel speed rule, this death may never have happened,” Greg Reilly, an associate of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said in a statement.
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The calf was one of 19 spotted so far during the season, which is an uptick compared to recent years.
Marine biologists estimate the species needs to produce 50 or more calves annually to stop the population’s regression.
Since 2017, the species has been experiencing an Unusual Mortality Event, with the mammals dying faster than they can reproduce.
NOAA Fisheries reports there are only around 360 North Atlantic right whales left in existence, and the species is considered to be endangered.
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Juno’s calf is at least the third juvenile to have been found dead in 2024. Two whales were found dead in January along the coasts of Massachusetts and Georgia – both are thought to have succumbed to wounds brought on by human influences.
According to the New England Aquarium, human endangerment remains the mammals’ greatest threat, with entanglements in fishing gear, vessel strikes and climate change all suspected to be leading causes of mortality.
To report a right whale sighting from North Carolina to Florida, call the volunteer sighting network at 888-979-4253 or the NOAA Fisheries hotline at 877-942-5343.