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To protect and conserve something, first you have to know where and when whales inhabit specific areas. Protecting the fewer than 400 North Atlantic right whales left in the world, is a perfect example of the cooperation needed among international researchers and policy makers. Unlocking the secrets of any highly migratory species can be difficult, but whales have proven especially trying. For example, scientists still do not know where up to two thirds of the population migrate to during the winter. They leave the northern feeding grounds but are not seen along the southeastern US along with the rest of the population. This is why recent sightings of North Atlantic right whales in previously unknown habitats is so exciting.

On January 4th, 2009, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), announced a sighting of 44 individual right whales on Jordan Basin, during their December aerial surveys. Jordan Basin is approximately 70 miles east of the coast of Maine. The NEFSC speculates that this area may be a previously unknown, important winter breeding area for this critically endangered species.

On January 5th, 2009, a North Atlantic Right Whale was observed off the Azores by biologists from the University of the Azores Dept. of Oceanography and Fisheries, as well as a biologist from Whale Watch Azores. Photographs of the callosities and flukes were taken for photo-identification and matched to a known individual by the New England Aquarium. This whale was last seen in the Bay of Fundy on September 24th, 2008. This is the first confirmed sighting of a right whale in the Azores since 1888.

WDCS has been instrumental in securing protection to North Atlantic right whales from vessel strikes and entanglements. "The more you know about these animals, the more we will be able to protect them" said WDCS Senior Biologist, Regina Asmutis-Silvia. With your support, we will continue to work to ensure the survival of this critically endangered species."

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