North Atlantic Right Whales’ Smaller Sizes Making It Hard for Them to Reproduce

A new study says the hulking giants of the deep, North Atlantic right whales, are on average about three feet shorter than just 20 years ago.

FILE – In this March 28, 2018 file photo, a North Atlantic right whale feeds on the surface of Cape Cod bay off the coast of Plymouth, Mass. The Switzerland-based International Union for Conservation of Nature said Thursday, July 9, 2020, it is moving the North Atlantic right whale from “endangered” to “critically endangered” on its Red List of jeopardized species. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

Thursday’s study says the critically endangered whales are shrinking because of the stress of getting tangled in fishing gear, crashing into ships and climate change moving their food supply north. There are only 356 of the whales left.

Scientists say their smaller size is a big deal because it reduces their ability to reproduce.

Full grown North Atlantic right whales used to average 46 feet. Now the younger generation is on track to not quite average 43 feet.

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