North Atlantic proper whales have been on the transfer alongside the East Coast, with current sightings of a mom and calf feeding within the Gulf of Maine.
The New England Aquarium aerial survey workforce from the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life has seen a excessive stage of whale exercise off the coast of Maine this fall.
Aquarium aerial observers had been flying over Wilkinson Basin final week after they noticed proper whale “Pediddle” and her 10-month-old calf skim feeding. The calf, first noticed within the southeastern U.S. calving grounds in January, is the ninth documented calf of Pediddle — a feminine that’s not less than 45 years previous.
A number of hours later, the workforce noticed a 3rd proper whale, “Mohawk,” about 35 miles southeast of Portland. The 49-year-old male was feeding amongst a bunch of basking sharks.
Other analysis teams have detected the wide-ranging presence of proper whales in Gulf of Maine waters over the previous month, together with a second mother-calf pair and a number of acoustic detections.
“It was incredible to watch these right whales feeding at the surface, especially Pediddle’s calf learning to feed alongside its mother,” stated Katherine McKenna, an assistant scientist within the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center, who captured the aerial survey pictures.
“Right whale mothers and their calves are vital to the recovery of this critically endangered species, and it is important to ensure they are protected from threats throughout their range,” McKenna added.
Warming waters within the northern Atlantic Ocean have led to shifts in proper whale habitat use, making them weak to human-caused threats in sure areas.
North Atlantic proper whales are one of the endangered massive whale species on the earth, with scientists estimating round 350 people remaining within the inhabitants and simply 70 reproductive females.
Sightings of the critically endangered species have ranged from Newfoundland to New Jersey over the previous month.
Aquarium scientists have additionally recorded a complete of 88 humpback and 121 endangered fin whale sightings throughout their seven flights this fall over the Gulf of Maine, together with someday with 38 fin whales noticed.
The Aquarium workforce additionally noticed an endangered blue whale about 25 miles south of Boothbay, Maine. Several teams have been conducting aerial surveys of Maine offshore waters this 12 months, gathering information on marine mammal exercise.
“The amount of wildlife we’ve seen feeding has really been quite astounding,” stated Orla O’Brien, an affiliate scientist within the Anderson Cabot Center who leads the aerial survey workforce. “From fin whales lunge feeding on krill, to right whales and basking sharks skim feeding side by side, to groups of humpbacks, pods of dolphins, and a blue whale — all brought here by a large amount of prey in the Gulf of Maine.”
New England Aquarium photograph
Right whale “Pediddle” and her calf foraging in Gulf of Maine waters. (New England Aquarium photograph)
Source: www.bostonherald.com”
