Protecting Right Whales: N. America Eastern Seaboard

During the summer of 2005, Song of the Whale visited the east coast of North America. The team undertook education, outreach and lobbying efforts in support of IFAW’s campaign to protect North Atlantic right whales, which are highly endangered and threatened by ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear.

Song of the Whale visited Cape Cod in July, home to IFAW headquarters. The team conducted a visual and acoustic survey for North Atlantic Right whales across the Gulf of Maine to Canada’s Bay of Fundy.

In the Bay of Fundy, the team worked closely with IFAW’s Canadian office to support a project that releases harbour porpoises from herring weirs, as well as working with fishermen to rescue large whales entangled in fishing gear. During August, Song of the Whale visited Grand Manan, St. Andrews and Campobello Island.

The final leg of the project in September took Song of the Whale to Washington, D.C to highlight the plight of the highly endangered North Atlantic right whale. There are as few as 300 of these animals left, making them one of the rarest species in the world today. Without urgent action to reduce deaths and serious injury, the right whale is facing the real possibility of extinction in the coming century.