"Tragic Discovery: Dead Right Whale Found Near Martha's Vineyard"

A female North Atlantic right whale was found dead off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, with a rope wrapped around it, raising concerns for the critically endangered species of which only about 360 remain. The whale, believed to be a juvenile, had washed ashore with a rope tangled around its peduncle, and its death comes during the four-month period when such whales give birth. With fewer than 70 reproductively active females remaining, entanglements have killed at least nine of the whales and injured 70 others since 2017. Marine experts are waiting for improved weather to determine the cause of death and identify the specific animal.