([link removed])

([link removed])

Urge Congress to SAVE Right Whales

Dear John,

In late June, a six-month-old North Atlantic right whale calf was found dead. Upon investigation, it was discovered the calf had been struck twice by vessels and had sustained a number of propeller wounds. With tragedies like this become more frequent, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has now uplisted the North Atlantic right whale to "critically endangered," the closest designation to "extinct." This species traverses the waters of the entire US East Coast, making its habitat one of the most industrialized oceans in the world. As such, these whales, whose population is believed to number only 400, are in serious jeopardy of extinction, largely due to entanglement in fishing gear and vessel strikes.

Thirty-one North Atlantic right whales are known to have died since the beginning of 2017, and 10 more have suffered injuries so severe, they are feared dead. Collisions with vessels and entanglement in fishing gear have been identified as the cause in the majority of confirmed deaths. Statistics show that 85 percent of North Atlantic right whales bear entanglement scars, and females are particularly vulnerable. Only a third survive a severe entanglement incident, and those who do are less likely to have calves. Right whales involved in collisions with ships will often experience serious injuries, such as blunt force trauma, propeller cuts, and broken bones, from which they may never recover. As a result of these human interactions, the North Atlantic right whale population has dramatically declined.

In order to save the North Atlantic right whale, we must reduce these threats. The bipartisan SAVE Right Whales Act (S. 2453) would provide federal funding opportunities for collaborative efforts between states, nongovernmental organizations, and industry leaders to create and implement much-needed conservation efforts to protect the North Atlantic right whale.

North Atlantic right whales once faced extinction due to commercial whaling. While they slowly began to recover after whaling was banned, they once again are imperiled. It is time to protect this species, before it is too late.

TAKE ACTION ([link removed])

What You Can Do
Please ask your senators ([link removed]) to help save the North Atlantic right whale from extinction by supporting the SAVE Right Whales Act. Be sure to share this eAlert with your family, friends, and co-workers, and encourage them to contact their senators, too. Thank you for taking action on behalf of marine animals!

Sincerely,

Cathy Liss
President

P.S. Follow us on Facebook ([link removed]), Twitter ([link removed]), and Instagram ([link removed]) for other important animal protection actions and news.

Photo by NOAA Fisheries Christin Khan NEFSC

([link removed]) ([link removed]) ([link removed]) ([link removed])

Animal Welfare Institute
900 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20003
(202) 337-2332 | www.awionline.org ([link removed])

The Animal Welfare Institute is a not-for-profit organization, founded in 1951 and dedicated to reducing animal suffering caused by people. We seek better treatment of animals everywhere: in the laboratory, on the farm, in commerce, at home, and in the wild.

Donate ([link removed])

Forward to a Friend:
[link removed]
Unsubscribe:
[link removed]

Email Privacy Policy:
[link removed]

Update Profile:
[link removed]

900 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20003