Warning Buoy Network Protects Right Whales

coondoggie alerts us to a story that is actually a few weeks old now about a network of sonic buoys to listen to right whales, in order to warn ships away from them. On April 10, 22% of the known population of right whales in the world — 79 out of 350 — were gathered at Stellwagen Bank, off of Massachusetts, to feed on a bumper crop of the tiny crustaceans called copepods. The network of smart buoys helps to protect the whales from the roughly 1,500 ships per year that go through this feeding ground on their way to and from Boston.

Comments

Amazing to see

[notthepainter]

I live on the Outer Cape in Cape Cod Massachusetts. Herring Cove Beach is about 7 miles from my home. You can just drive to the beach and see them off shore. Now, the bulk of the whale are off shore and can't be seen, but there were about 40 there on Saturday. The whale watch boats are often kept at bay by the Provincetown Police, but even if the police aren't there, the boats do the right thing and stay a bit off. I've seen countless dolphins in a single field of view of my binoculars.

If you are in the area, you really should go see this. Bring the best binoculars you can, but even if you don't have any, you might see tens of blows per minutes. Long time locals suggest that the shore whales will disappear once the fast ferry starts up, which is in about 2 weeks.

It is truly amazing. I can't imagine what it is like off shore.

P