Add a species of whale is likely to be extinct

The North Atlantic whale, which is critically endangered, will become extinct without immediate action to protect and revive them, according to scientists .

Once hunted to near extinction, the North Atlantic whale continues to face the possibility of extinction, when only about 400 individuals remain in the wild, according to CNN.

The latest report by Oceana, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the marine environment, suggests that unless protection measures are taken immediately, the North Atlantic bull whale will be extinct in the future. near the.

"At some point, if the current trend continues, the restoration of this species will become impossible," the Oceana report said.

Only 25% of the 400 individuals in the wild are females of reproductive age. At least 28 others have died in the past two years, according to Oceana director Whitney Webber.

Overfishing, sea transport and climate change are factors that affect the food source of the species.

"We no longer see fish that die from natural causes, they are dying in our arms , " Ms. Webber said.

Due to their friendly nature, swimming close to shore and always active on the water, the North Atlantic bull whale is easy to hunt for. When the ban on whaling was introduced in 1935, they were nearly extinct. The number of species has recovered a bit, but recently they have encountered other threats.

The 28 Atlantic whales - equivalent to 8% of the species population - have died within the past 2 years.(Photo: Getty).

At least 100 of the species are caught in fishing nets every year, according to Oceana's estimates. There are about 1 million nets in the whale's migration path through the US and Canada coasts, and Webber thinks this situation is no different from a "minefield" to them.

Fishing nets create wounds on whales and they can die if they are infected. Injury will also affect their basic activities such as hunting and mating.

This is a challenge that whales have faced for years, but things have started to get worse over the past 2 years.

Since 2017, 8% of the species population - 28 individuals - have died and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) called these "abnormal deaths".

Ms Webber said it was most likely the reason that the main food of the bull whale , a small phytoplankton called copepod , had to move to colder waters in the north because of climate change.

In Canada, the whales face more fishing nets and the busier traffic of large boats, not to mention the hundreds of miles to travel.

This means that they may die in search of food.

Another important issue is the reproductive behavior of the species. The North Atlantic whale takes 10 years to reach reproductive age, and the fish only gives birth to one in 3 to 5 years. The stress in their lives at this time makes the interval between births doubled, that is, it takes 10 years for a female to have another child.

Ms. Webber said that without immediate measures to limit the fishing nets and impose speed limits on ships at sea, the Atlantic would lose one of the largest and rarest whales left over. .

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