Low number of right whale births this season worries scientists at the New England Aquarium
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Three of the new mothers have prominent scars from being struck by vessels, according to Amy Warren, the Anderson Cabot Center's scientific program officer.
'These injuries are a harsh reminder of their daily threats and an additional hurdle to overcome on their journey to motherhood,' Warren said in the statement.
At least seven of the 11 mother-calf pairs have been seen in Massachusetts waters this spring, the aquarium said.
An aerial survey team from the Center for Coastal Studies discovered the 11th mother of the season, named Monarch, on April 17 in Cape Cod Bay, the Aquarium said.
A 44-year-old right whale, known as Grand Teton, mothered another calf this season, at least her ninth calf overall. Grand Teton is one of an estimated 70 reproductive females remaining in the population, scientists said.
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'Whales like Grand Teton give me hope for the species,' Hamilton said. 'She has been calving for over four decades, and unlike the majority of the population, remains relatively free of scars from past entanglements. The future of the species hangs on females like her.'
Sarah Mesdjian can be reached at
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