My introduction to the north Atlantic right whale was a spectacular one: standing on a sailboat in the Bay of Fundy surrounded by a pod of the majestic mammals.
I could see the curious whales in every direction, some playfully slapping their fins and tail to the water, others sending powerful bursts of air and ocean spray into the sky, a few rolling over to show their white underbelly (part of a mating ritual, we were told).
Our guide estimated 30 whales in the pod and didn’t mince words — this was a rare scene. And despite 20 years having passed, I can remember exactly what I felt as a kid:
Pure wonder.
The north Atlantic right whale is a species on the brink of extinction and facing many threats. Some are new, like a changing ocean due to climate change; others have existed for decades but are getting worse, like underwater noise pollution and supertanker traffic where these whales — particularly fussy eaters — travel to feed.
This summer has been the worst in decades, with at least 13 north Atlantic right whales found dead since early June, and all but three off New Brunswick waters in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Amid such a heart-wrenching situation, the response from government scientists and officials has been meaningful — and I’m asking for your help to encourage continued action for the beautiful yet beleaguered right whale.
Join me in writing the Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, to say thank you for the actions his department has already taken, and ask the minister to keep going strong in his pledge to protect and restore this critically-endangered species.
We’ve made it easy for you and have already written an email that you can add to or simply sign and send. Click here to do it now.
Let’s make sure the right whale continues to astonish and inspire people for generations to come. Please, join me in asking the minister to keep the future of the north Atlantic right whale a top priority.
Thank you, always, for your continued support.
Jon MacNeill
Communications Director