Global News - April 2008

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Endangered whales spotted near Cape Cod Bay

Wed 23 April 2008 14:30 UK — North America

An unusually large number of a species of endangered whale has been seen in the waters close to Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

According to the Cape Cod Times, state and federal officials have said that approximately 50 to 100 northern right whales have been spotted feeding in the bay, thebostonchannel.com reports. There are usually around 30 to 50 of the whales in the waters during the spring.

The whales come to Cape Cod during this time of year because they are drawn by the large amount of zooplankton, of which they can consume up to 2,000 a day.

However, the mammals are prone to being involved in accidents with boats and ships and as such the state Division of Marine Fisheries imposed restrictions across the bay which means that vessels are meant to stay 500 yards from the whales. In addition, fishermen are banned from putting their equipment in water within 500 yards of them.

Dan McKiernan, of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, told the Cape Cod Times that the creatures are very susceptible to injuries caused by ships because they "seem to be oblivious to their surroundings".

He explained to the paper: "They are not really aware of us; they are not aware of other whales around them."

The northern right whale is the most endangered whale in the world and at present there are only about 350 of the animals left in the wild.

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