2017–2021 North Atlantic Right Whale Unusual Mortality Event

Learn more about Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events

Beginning in 2017, elevated mortalities in North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) have been documented, primarily in Canada but some in the U.S., and were collectively declared an Unusual Mortality Event (UME). In 2017, there were a total of 17 confirmed dead stranded whales (12 in Canada; 5 in the United States) and in 2018, three confirmed dead stranded whales in the United States. In 2019, nine dead whales stranded in Canada, and one dead whale stranded in the United States. In 2020, two mortalities were documented. To date in 2021, two mortalities has been documented. The current total confirmed mortalities for the UME are 34 dead stranded whales (21 in Canada; 13 in the United States), and the leading category for the cause of death for this UME is “human interaction,” specifically from entanglements or vessel strikes.

Additionally, since 2017, 16 live free-swimming non-stranded whales have been documented with serious injuries from entanglements or vessel strikes. The Marine Mammal Protection Act requires NOAA Fisheries to distinguish between injuries to marine mammals that are serious and those that are non-serious. Serious injury determination is a detailed assessment process that uses data, such as body condition and parameters of the human-caused injury, collected from living whales to determine an individual whale’s prognosis for survival. A serious injury designation indicates a whale is likely to die from those injuries (although it was alive at its last sighting). More recent serious injury determinations (e.g., 2020 and 2021) are preliminary and subject to change as we receive additional information. Therefore, the preliminary cumulative total number of animals in the North Atlantic right whale UME has been updated to 50 individuals to include both the confirmed mortalities (dead stranded or floaters) (n=34) and seriously injured free-swimming whales (n=16) to better reflect the confirmed number of whales likely removed from the population during the UME and more accurately reflect the population impacts.

Given there are less than 400 individual North Atlantic right whales remaining, these 50 individuals in the UME represent more than 10 percent of the population, which is a significant setback to the recovery of such a critically endangered species.

North Atlantic Right Whale Causes of Death for Confirmed Carcasses

North Atlantic Right Whales Determined to be Seriously Injured (Last Seen Alive)

Note: Graphs and/or tables represent confirmed mortalities and injuries reported in each country and does not always reflect the location of the injury or death of the animal. Carcasses may drift across national boundaries; therefore, a carcass may be sighted or reported in one country even though the mortality occurred elsewhere. Species or stocks that migrate across national boundaries often carry their illnesses, injuries, or exposures to toxins with them. For mortality and serious injury determinations in these species, transboundary collaboration is critical in determining the causes of injury, illness, and mortality for each animal.

Interactive Map

2017-2021 North Atlantic Right Whale Unusual Mortality Event Dead Animal Locations Mapping Application

Causes of the North Atlantic Right Whale UME

Full necropsy examinations have been conducted on 24 of the 34 dead whales and final results from some examinations are pending. Necropsy results can be found online from seven of the Canadian whales from 2017 and from five of the whales from 2019. Photos and other available documentation for the live whales were reviewed by the NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center as part of the serious injury determination process and those listed above were designated as seriously injured.

As part of the UME investigation process, NOAA assembled an independent team of scientists to coordinate with the Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events to review and interpret the data collected, guide sampling of stranded whales, evaluate sighting effort, review logistical considerations, and determine the next steps for the investigation. We continue to investigate these mortalities, but preliminary findings support “human interactions” as the primary category of the cause of death for the majority of the dead stranded whales, specifically vessel strikes or rope entanglements.  Additionally, 16 live whales have been documented as seriously injured either by vessel strikes or entanglements during the time frame of the current UME (2017-2021).

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A dead right whale floating at the surface of the ocean.

Report a Stranding

The most important step that the public can take to assist investigators is to immediately report any sightings of injured or stranded whales (dead or alive). In the United States, make a report by calling the Greater Atlantic Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline at (866) 755-6622 or the Southeast Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline at (877) 433-8299. In Canada, call the Marine Animal Response Society at 1-866-567-6277 or the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network at 1-877-722-5346. You can also contact the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards on VHF Channel 16. Do not approach injured or dead animals.

More Information

• February 28, 2021 Adult North Atlantic Right Whale Found Dead off South Carolina
• February 14, 2021 North Atlantic Right Whale Calf Stranded Dead in Florida
• January 8, 2021 Report of the Health Assessment Workshop for North Atlantic Right Whales
• November 23, 2020 First Known North Atlantic Right Whale Calf of the Season Washes Up Dead off North Carolina
• October 20, 2020 Entangled North Atlantic Right Whale Spotted off Nantucket
• October 12, 2020 Entangled North Atlantic Right Whale Spotted off New Jersey
• June 25, 2020 North Atlantic Right Whale Carcass off New Jersey
• February 28, 2020 Emaciated Adult Female North Atlantic Right Whale Spotted Entangled off Nantucket
• January 13, 2020 North Atlantic Right Whale Calf Injured by Vessel Strike
• Frequent Questions: 2017 North Atlantic Right Whale UME
• Fisheries and Oceans, Canada
• Transport Canada
• Marine Animal Rescue Society, Canada
• Donate to the Unusual Mortality Event Contingency Fund
• Unusual Mortality Events
• Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program