History of Right whale in Timeline
Right whales belong to the genus Eubalaena and include three species: the North Atlantic right whale, the North Pacific right whale, and the Southern right whale. They are part of the Balaenidae family, which also includes the bowhead whale. Characterized by their rotund bodies, arching rostrums, V-shaped blowholes, and dark gray or black skin, right whales are easily identified by the rough, white patches of skin on their heads caused by whale lice. These whales typically measure 13–17 meters (43–56 feet) in length and can weigh up to 100 short tons or more.
1935: First Photograph of Female North Atlantic Right Whale with Baby
In 1935, a female North Atlantic right whale was photographed with her baby. This event marked the beginning of a well-documented case of an individual whale's lifespan, which was later observed in 1959, 1980, 1985, and 1992. Consistent callosity patterns ensured it was the same animal.
1937: Commercial Whaling Records by 1937
By 1937, whaling records showed that 38,000 right whales had been taken in the South Atlantic, 39,000 in the South Pacific, 1,300 in the Indian Ocean, and 15,000 in the North Pacific. The incompleteness of these records suggests the actual count was higher.
1937: Global Ban on Right Whaling
In 1937, the world banned right whaling as stocks were nearly depleted. Although the ban was largely successful, violations continued for several decades, with countries like Madeira, Japan, and the Soviet Union engaging in illegal whaling.
1959: Re-photographing of Female North Atlantic Right Whale
In 1959, the same female North Atlantic right whale first photographed in 1935 was observed again. The consistent callosity patterns on her body confirmed it was the same whale, providing valuable data on the lifespan and behavior of right whales.
1968: Madeira's Last Right Whales Taken
In 1968, Madeira took its last two right whales, marking the end of its participation in right whaling. This event was part of a broader trend of nations ceasing right whale hunting activities following the 1937 ban.
1970: Ship-Strike Deaths of North Atlantic Right Whales
From 1970 to 1999, at least sixteen ship-strike deaths of North Atlantic right whales were reported. These incidents highlighted the dangers the whales face while migrating through busy shipping lanes off the east coast of the United States and Canada.
1973: Closure of Imbituba Whaling Station in Brazil
In 1973, the Imbituba whaling station in Brazil processed its last right whale. This marked the end of illegal right whale hunting activities at this station, which had continued for years despite international bans.
1980: Third Photograph of Female North Atlantic Right Whale
The female North Atlantic right whale, first documented in 1935, was photographed again in 1980. This re-sighting, along with observations in 1959, 1985, and 1992, helped researchers gather more information about the longevity of right whales.
1985: Fourth Photograph of Female North Atlantic Right Whale
In 1985, researchers re-photographed the female North Atlantic right whale that had been observed since 1935. This ongoing documentation helped in understanding the potential lifespan and migratory patterns of right whales.
1992: Fifth Photograph of Female North Atlantic Right Whale
The same female North Atlantic right whale, initially photographed in 1935, was observed again in 1992. Consistent callosity patterns confirmed it as the same whale, providing insights into the species' longevity and behavior.
1995: Final Photograph of Female North Atlantic Right Whale with Fatal Injury
In 1995, the female North Atlantic right whale, documented since 1935, was photographed for the last time with a fatal head wound, presumably from a ship strike. She was estimated to be nearly 70 to over 100 years old, offering significant insights into the potential lifespan of right whales.
July 1997: Introduction of Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan
In July 1997, NOAA introduced the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan to minimize entanglement of North Atlantic right whales in fishing gear. The plan included measures to record large whale sightings and estimate their numbers and distribution.
1997: Southern right whale population review
In 1997, the International Whaling Commission conducted a major review of southern right whale populations, estimating around 7,500 animals based on surveys and extrapolated data.
1998: Rice's classification
In 1998, Rice's authoritative classification listed just two species of right whales: Balaena glacialis and Balaena mysticetus. This was a comprehensive yet controversial classification in the history of right whale taxonomy.
1998: Last major population review of southern right whales
In 1998, the International Whaling Commission carried out the last major population review of southern right whales, using data from surveys in Argentina, South Africa, and Australia.
1999: Continued Ship-Strike Deaths of North Atlantic Right Whales
By 1999, NOAA reported that twenty-five out of seventy-one documented North Atlantic right whale deaths since 1970 resulted from ship strikes. This underscored the ongoing threat posed by shipping traffic to this critically endangered species.
2000: Establishment of Environmental Protection Area in Brazil
In 2000, Brazil established a federal Environmental Protection Area in Santa Catarina State to protect the main breeding grounds of the southern right whale. The area encompasses 1,560 km² and 130 km of coastline, promoting both species protection and whale watching.
2000: DNA studies on right whale populations
In 2000, DNA studies revealed that northern and southern populations of right whales are distinct species. Surprisingly, the North Pacific right whale is more closely related to the southern right whale than to the North Atlantic right whale. This study indicated that these species have not interbred for between 3 to 12 million years.
2001: Reevaluation of North Pacific right whale
In 2001, Brownell et al. reassessed the conservation status of the North Pacific right whale, recognizing it as a distinct species.
2001: Environmental Campaigners Push for Greater Protections
In 2001, environmental campaigners praised new protections for right whales in the US and Brazil but pushed for stronger measures, including 12 knots speed limits for ships near US ports during high right whale presence times. Despite their efforts, greater protections were not instituted due to concerns about trade disruption.
2002: IWC's acceptance of Rosenbaum's findings
In 2002, the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) accepted Rosenbaum's findings and recommended retaining the Eubalaena nomenclature for the right whale genus.
2003: Right whale sightings near Iceland
In 2003, several sightings of right whales were made close to Iceland, possibly indicating the remains of a virtually extinct eastern Atlantic stock or strays from the Western stock.
September 2005: Lawsuit for Right Whale Protection
In September 2005, the Defenders of Wildlife, the Humane Society of the United States, and the Ocean Conservancy sued the NMFS for failing to protect the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale. They demanded emergency protection measures, citing the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act.
February 6, 2006: NOAA Proposes Strategy to Reduce Ship Strikes
On February 6, 2006, NOAA proposed its Strategy to Reduce Ship Strikes to North Atlantic Right Whales. The proposal, opposed by some shipping interests, aimed to limit ship speeds during the calving season to protect the whales.
2007: Churchill's study on right whale species
In 2007, Churchill's study provided further evidence that the three different living right whale species constitute a distinct phylogenetic lineage from the bowhead whale, placing them in a separate genus.
2007: Evidence of right whale population recovery
In 2007, data indicated that the southern right whale populations in surveyed areas had shown strong recovery, with numbers approaching twice that of a decade earlier. However, other breeding populations remained very small with insufficient data to determine their status.
December 8, 2008: NOAA Officializes Ship Speed Limit Proposal
On December 8, 2008, NOAA made its proposal to limit ship speeds during the North Atlantic right whale calving season official. The strategy aimed to reduce ship strikes, a leading cause of death among these whales.
2009: Fossil discovery in Sweden
In 2009, construction in Strömstad, Sweden, unearthed fossil bones initially thought to belong to the so-called Swedenborg whale, proposed by Emanuel Swedenborg in the 18th century. Later DNA analysis confirmed these bones were from a bowhead whale.
2012: Reclassification of the pygmy right whale
In 2012, a study suggested that the pygmy right whale, previously considered a member of the Family Balaenidae, is instead the last living member of the Family Cetotheriidae, a family thought to be extinct.
2012: Approval of New Naval Training Range Near Calving Grounds
In 2012, the U.S. Navy proposed creating a new undersea naval training range near northern right whale calving grounds off the Florida/Georgia border. Despite legal challenges from environmental groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council, federal courts allowed the Navy to proceed, raising concerns due to the critically low numbers of right whales and poor calving seasons.
2016: Facial recognition for right whales
In 2016, a competitive effort led to the development of facial recognition software that could uniquely identify right whales based on their callosities with about 87% accuracy.
2017: Oceana Report on Speed Rule Non-Compliance
Between 2017 and 2020, a report by Oceana found that non-compliance with the ship speed rule reached nearly 90% in mandatory speed zones and 85% in voluntary areas. This highlighted ongoing challenges in enforcing protections for North Atlantic right whales.
2020: NOAA's Assessment on Speed Rule Compliance
In 2020, NOAA published an assessment showing that since the adoption of the ship speed rule, documented deaths from vessel strikes decreased, but serious and non-serious injuries increased. A report by Oceana found high non-compliance rates with the rule between 2017 and 2020.