Right Whale Revival

Save the North Atlantic Right Whale - Before It’s Too Late

 

One of the World’s Most Endangered Whales is on the Brink of Extinction. Will You Help?

With fewer than 370 North Atlantic Right Whales left, and fewer than 70 breeding females, we are witnessing an urgent crisis. These magnificent creatures, once abundant in our coastal waters, now face extinction due to human-caused threats like ship strikes, fishing gear entanglements, and habitat loss.

Every winter, pregnant Right Whales travel over 2,000 miles to Georgia’s coast—the only known calving ground in the world—to give birth. But instead of a safe haven, they face a dangerous gauntlet of busy shipping lanes, high-speed vessels, and deadly fishing gear.

 

The Problem: Human Threats Are Driving Right Whales to Extinction

🔴 Ship Strikes: These whales often swim near the surface, making them vulnerable to high-speed boats and commercial shipping vessels. A single impact can be fatal, and since Right Whales don’t have a strong population recovery rate, every death brings the species closer to extinction.

🔴 Fishing Gear Entanglements: More than 85% of North Atlantic Right Whales have been entangled in fishing gear at least once in their lives. Many suffer slow, agonizing deaths as heavy ropes tighten around their bodies, cutting into their flesh and making it impossible to swim freely or feed.

🔴 Habitat Destruction & Climate Change: As ocean conditions shift, Right Whales are struggling to find the food they rely on, forcing them to swim into unfamiliar and more dangerous waters in search of sustenance.

 

How Georgia CONSERVANCY Is Fighting for Their Survival

At the Georgia Conservancy, we refuse to let the North Atlantic Right Whale disappear. Our Right Whale Revival Project is taking bold action to protect these incredible creatures through science, advocacy, and education.

✅ Educating Boaters & Preventing Ship Strikes
Our Go Slow, Whales Below campaign places highly visible signs at marinas along Georgia’s coast, warning boaters to slow down in critical whale areas. These reminders significantly reduce the risk of deadly collisions.

✅ Advocating for Ropeless Fishing Gear
We are working with lawmakers to replace traditional fishing gear with innovative ropeless systems that eliminate entanglement risks while still supporting the livelihoods of local fishers.

✅ Tracking & Monitoring Whale Movements
Using advanced acoustic and visual tracking technology, we help detect and predict whale migration patterns, allowing ships to avoid their paths and prevent fatal encounters before they happen.

✅ Fighting for Stronger Protections
Through our legislative advocacy, we push for seasonal speed restrictions and expanded protected zones to give Right Whales the safe waters they desperately need to survive and reproduce.

 

Your Gift Can Save a Life

We cannot do this without your support. Every donation you make directly funds our programs to educate, protect, and advocate for the survival of North Atlantic Right Whales.

  • $370—One dollar for every North Atlantic Right Whale left in the world

  • $250—Helps fund the deployment of life-saving technology that warns ships when whales are nearby

  • $100—Funds educational signage at marinas to reduce deadly ship strikes

  • $70—One dollar for each breeding female left—the future of the species depends on them

  • $50—Supports critical whale tracking and monitoring to prevent fatal human-whale interactions

  • $32—Advocates for stronger whale protections through legislative action

 

Time Is Running Out—Act Now

The extinction of the North Atlantic Right Whale is not inevitable—but without urgent action, it will be.

Every moment counts. Every dollar makes a difference.

Make your tax-deductible donation today and be part of the fight to save these incredible creatures.

 

Together, we can ensure the Right Whale’s
song is not silenced forever.

Protecting the Right Whale

To learn more about the North Atlantic Right Whale and the work we are doing to save them, you can check out this blog post.

Go Slow, Whales Below! Awareness & Education Campaign:

In response to this urgent conservation need and in a bid to turn the tide, the Georgia Conservancy launched an innovative initiative to raise awareness and mitigate risks to these vulnerable whales. At the heart of this endeavor was the creation of striking marina signage, specifically designed to catch the attention of boaters and alert them to reduce their speeds during the North Atlantic right whale calving season.

Learn more about our outreach and awareness campaign here.

Ropeless Fishing Gear - Preventing Entanglements:

Ropes used to haul in pots or connect them to buoys can often become entangled with theNorth Atlantic right whale during the whale’s winter calving season along the Georgia coast.

The Georgia Conservancy is studying and promoting the innovation of on-demand traps, also known as “ropeless fishing gear”, to encourage sustainably-caught black sea bass, a popular Georgia fishery. On-demand traps are a key solution to eliminating whale deaths caused by entanglement.

To learn more about the work we are doing expand the use of ropeless fishing gear off the coast of Georgia, click here.

Questions? Please reach out to Georgia Conservancy Director of Development Andrew Kerr at akerr@georgiaconservancy.org