Fishing gear injuries doom Right Whales - ScienceBlog com scienceblog.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from scienceblog.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Most North Atlantic right whales that are severely injured in fishing gear entanglements die within three years, a study by the New England Aquarium and Duke University finds. Severely injured whales were up to eight times more likely to die than those with minor injuries, and only 44% of males and 33% of females with severe injuries survived longer than 36 months. Females that did survive had low birth rates and longer intervals between calving.