May 7, 2008 10:00 am US/Eastern
New Device Helps Track Right Whales Off Cape
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
Researchers are hoping a new device will help keep right whales swimming off the coast of New England safe.
Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on Cape Cod created a thumb-sized underwater microphone to listen for the animals. The microphone is attached to buoys positioned throughout Cape Cod Bay.
They hope the microphones will help track the movement of the whales so boats can be warned to slow down and post lookouts to avoid hitting the creatures.
When scientists tried to track whales in the past, they depended on aerial surveys, which were limited by weather and how often the animals surfaced.
According to the Right Whale Sighting Advisory System, one-third of whale deaths are a result of "human activities," such as ship strikes and gear entanglements.
At least 32 right whales have been killed by vessels since 1986.
Just last month, the Division of Marine Fisheries urged boaters in the bay to take extra precautions because of an unusual amount of right whales in the water feeding. According to officials, state law prohibits ships from approaching within 500 yards of a right whale – that includes setting up or hauling gear.
The Division of Marine Fisheries said last month's influx of whales was due to the dense bloom of zooplankton in Cape Cod Bay.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
