GoM whale now endangered species

A rare baleen whale found in the Gulf of Mexico has gained protection under the Endangered Species Act, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced April 12. The rule will go into effect May 15. The Gulf of Mexico (GoM) Bryde’s whale is a subspecies of the Bryde’s whale and among the most endangered in the world, according to NOAA. There are less than 100 left in the northeastern GoM near the De Soto canyon, where the population resides. Genetic testing indicates GoM Bryde’s whales represent a unique evolutionary lineage distinct from two other populations of Bryde’s whales, and should be considered a subspecies, according to Laura Engleby, a marine mammal biologist with NOAA Fisheries. Threats to the species include energy exploration and development, oil spills and clean up efforts, vessel strikes, human noise and entanglement in fishing gear. The whales typically travel in pairs. Recent sightings have been limited to the northeastern GoM, but historic whaling records indicate that the whales’ range included waters in the north-central and southern Gulf, Engleby said. (Source: NOLA.com 04/12/19)