Calf

• On Feb. 14, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that the whale was #5120 in a catalog that tracks individual right whales.
• Further, the agency said, rope that had been deeply embedded in the whale’s tail had likely come from lobster fishing gear in Maine.
• Entanglement in fishing gear is a deadly threat to these critically endangered animals.
• Scientists estimate that before commercial whaling scaled up in the 18th and 19th centuries, there may have been as many as 10,000 North Atlantic right whales.
• When whales become entangled in fishing gear, they use extra energy dragging it as they swim.

Smaller females are having fewer young

• By 2018 there were only about 73 breeding females left, representing roughly half of all females and a sixth of the entire species.
• Other research has shown that poor health and physical condition are making it harder for these females to even start breeding.
• Smaller whales have fewer calves.

• Many organizations are involved in tracking North Atlantic right whales, including government agencies, aquariums and conservation groups.
• Even females who have previously reproduced are less likely to breed again following an entanglement event.
• By identifying and photographing whales repeatedly over time, scientists can estimate different stages of their life, such as when females give birth.

Weakness of current regulations

• If they are larger and enter the blubber, they are classified as moderate.
• Our research makes it clear that such value-laden terms are potentially misleading because even minor entanglements can threaten whales’ successful reproduction.
• In our view, these measures do not give enough weight to preventing all types of entanglements, regardless of severity.
• And the plan closes trap fishing areas seasonally when whales are known to be present in those zones.

Coming back from the brink

• While these estimates seem promising, females need to start and continue producing calves to increase whales’ numbers.
• From our work, it is very clear that both lethal and sublethal impacts of entanglements are of grave concern for these whales.

• She also is a member of the International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee.
• Peter Corkeron consults for Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility on right whale conservation issues.
• Rob Harcourt receives funding from the Australian Federal Government Department of Climate Change, Environment, Energy and Water for research on right whales.

• TOLEDO, Ohio, March 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Toledo Zoo is thrilled to announce the birth of a healthy baby elephant, born to African elephant, Renee.
• "The birth of this precious baby elephant is such a momentous event," said Jeff Sailer, CEO of the Toledo Zoo.
• "It took months of coordination working with our partners in the field," said Michael Frushour, curator of mammals at the Toledo Zoo.
• In addition to Renee and the newborn calf, the Zoo is also home to two other elephants, Twiggy and Ajani.

• The Dairy Alliance , a nonprofit funded by dairy farm families of the Southeast, is partnering with Discover Dairy 's "Adopt a Cow" program, an educational series run by the Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation of Pennsylvania, to host a photo contest for the "Most Kissable Calf" this February.
• The Dairy Alliance has eight host farms with 20 calves participating in the Adopt a Cow program during the 2023-2024 school year across Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
• Each classroom that enrolls in the Adopt a Cow program is paired with a calf from a dairy farm.
• For more information on The Dairy Alliance, visit https://thedairyalliance.com/ or to learn about Discover Dairy's programs and initiatives, visit https://www.discoverdairy.com/ .

• GLEN ROSE, Texas, Jan. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Fossil Rim Wildlife Center is excited to share the birth of a southern white rhino calf.
• Fossil Rim will be offering specialty tours designed to educate guests on white rhino conservation efforts.
• https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_LoTdfNZ4mK4AWvsJp0qTac066bUK1Rx...
  Fossil Rim Wildlife Center is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 wildlife conservation facility that specializes in captive-breeding programs for endangered and threatened animal species.
• Fossil Rim offers a 7.2-mile scenic wildlife drive, guided tours, camps, Children's Animal Center, Nature Store, and Overlook Café to visitors.