I am so mesmerized by the ocean and all of it's creatures.

It is fascinating to learn what's going on down there and how the thousands of species co exist underwater.

Like many populations of sea creatures, Right Whales have seen a significant decrease over the past 30 years. and the species as a whole is facing lots of critical challenges.

Why has there been a decrease in Right Whales?

Key factors contributing to the decline include:

  1. Ship strikes:
  2. Entanglements in fishing gear
  3. Habitat degradation: This means climate change, ocean noise, and human activity can disrupt the whales' feeding and breeding habitats.
  4. Reproductive challenges: There has been a decrease in baby whale births (called calves) and increased mortality rates for calves.

According to WGME, a bunch of Right Whales have been spotted off the coast of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, recently.

Biologists from The New England Aquarium spotted at least 75 whales all hanging out in a small area called Jeffreys Ledge a few days ago.

Why are biologists concerned about Right Whales off the coast of Portsmouth, New Hampshire?

Don't get me wrong, this is very exciting for biologists to see so many endangered whales in one area.

However, it is also a little nerve wracking because the area they are in has a lot of fishing gear and boats.

READ MORE: Did You Know These 30 Animals Are on New Hampshire’s Endangered Species List?

As we learned up above ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear are some of the top threats to the Right Whale's existence.

How did Right Whales get their name?

This is upsetting but for generations they were the right, as in correct, whales to hunt. They were hunted so much they almost went extinct.

There are fewer than 400 North Atlantic right whales living in the wild today so that means if 75 were spotted off the coast of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 20% of the entire Right Whale population on Earth is here in the Granite State as we speak. Pretty amazing, isn't it?

Did You Know These 30 Animals Are on New Hampshire's Endangered Species List?

Gallery Credit: Megan

Mistakes Tourists Make When Visiting New Hampshire

Whether it's trying to pack too much in to one trip (figuratively and also literally ion their suitcase) or choosing to dine at the tourist traps over the mom and pop shops, people who visit New Hampshire deserve to experience all our fine state has to offer. Let the mistakes of tourists from our past help shape your visit in the future.

Gallery Credit: Kira

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