Apr 12, 2010 7:48 pm US/Eastern
Endangered Right Whales Feeding Off Cape Cod
CAPE COD BAY (WBZ) ―
"It's one of the most remarkable sights you'll ever see," said "Stormy" Mayo, as he looked out over Cape Cod Bay.
From his vantage point, he could see dozens of endangered North American Right whales, skimming the ocean surface feeding on krill and plankton.
"It's one of the rarest animals on earth, and here it is just miles from the most populous city in the northeast, feeding on the dense amount of food," he said.
Before they were nearly hunted to extinction, the right whale population was nearly 10,000 strong. Now, there are only an estimated 400.
But nearly half of them are thought to be in or near Cape Cod Bay right now feeding.
"The reason they're here is the dense amount of food supply," said Mayo. "And it's a rare sight, to see them skimming the surface, their mouths wide open. Baleen's straining the food."
But because they feed on the surface, the right whales are often struck by ships in the commercial shipping lanes.
"We have laws in place that force captains to slow down when the whales are around," said Secretary of Environmental Affairs Ian Bowles. "And we now have buoys that alert ships that the whales are here."
But soon, they'll be gone, headed to their summer feeding grounds in Nova Scotia.
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