John,

Last year, scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) made a remarkable discovery. They identified a new species of whale seen only in the Gulf of Mexico. A magnificent animal that can grow up to 42 feet long and up to 60,000 pounds – Rice's whale.

Now, a mysterious illness is decimating coral reef populations throughout the Caribbean. The plague-like affliction called stony coral tissue loss disease spreads quickly and kills off large swathes of corals.

Source: NOAA Fisheries

Rice’s whales were initially thought to be a subset of Bryde’s whales, a species of whale found all over the world. But in 2021, researchers with the NOAA concluded that they are genetically and morphologically distinct species! The discovery of a new species would normally be cause for celebration – unfortunately, this one came with bad news.

Rice’s whale is already at risk of extinction. According to the NOAA, there are only about 50 of them currently alive.

With numbers this low, there’s not a moment we can afford to waste. We need to push for federal protections for these whales or they may disappear forever. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) put out a $36 million plan to combat the disease, but they need allies in Congress who will ensure they have the continued support and resources to execute it. Can you chip in a donation to help our SEEC members continue fighting to save our coral reefs?

The survival of this newly found species is in serious jeopardy, John. Oil and gas developments in the area threaten Rice’s whales in a number of ways. Oil spills can cause severe and sometimes fatal respiratory illnesses in them, and seismic airgun blasts that accompany oil and gas exploration can disrupt their reproductive patterns.

Fossil fuel exploration is not worth the lives of these innocent animals. Make a donation to SEEC PAC today and help our SEEC members continue fighting to save endangered species like Rice’s whales!

Thank you,

SEEC PAC