Center for Coastal Studies

CONTACT:

PO 1036
Provincetown, MA 02657
508-487-3622
www.coastalstudies.org

Jan Young

DESCRIPTION:

The northern right whale, with fewer than 300 left, is the most gravely endangered species in U.S. waters. Whaling drove them to the brink of extinction and humans have kept them there by running into them with ships, entangling them in nets, and polluting their habitat. CCS, a small but gallant and scientifically distinguished institution on the tip of Cape Cod, is working to understand the genetics, physiology, population biology, physical and biological oceanography, and climatology of the right whale, in a last-ditch effort to save the species. CCS science has enabled federal designation of Stellwagen Bank, and Cape Cod Bay as Critical Habitat for the Right Whale. The endangered North Atlantic humpback whale is the subject of Massachusetts' whalewatching industry.

Over half of all known humpback and right whales in New England have scars from entanglements in fishing nets. CCS and the U.S. Coast Guard operate a program to disentangle whales at sea. Federal funds will pay half of the expenses; the rest is up to philanthropy -- including you. Join the Whale Rescue Team and receive hotline e-mail rescue reports.

(1998: NATURE: Biodiversity)