Cumberland Harbour (GA)
Right whales
- 2004 was one of the worst years ever for the destruction of right whales, already the most endangered large whale species in the world. The high mortality rate of the species is shrinking the already tiny worldwide population of 350.
- Since November of 2004, five right whales have died- four were reproductive females and two were pregnant. These losses represent a 5% total loss of all available breeding female right whales in the world -- a loss that has a cascading effect on the future of the population.
- As recently as March 10 of 2006, a 43-foot recreational yacht struck and nearly amputated a large section of the tail fluke of a right whale 10 to 15 miles off Cumberland Island National Seashore. A strike by such a relatively small boat is proof that the whales are vulnerable to recreational boaters, not just the largest ships.
- Putting this tiny population of remaining whales at even greater risk, the State just two weeks ago gave a permit to an Atlanta - based developer to construct the largest marina facility ever to be permitted on the Georgia coast directly across the Sound from Cumberland Island National Seashore. This will create more than 3 miles of new docking space in this sensitive area.
- The right whale isn't the only mammal at risk from this enormous marina development. The proposed development, located less than 2 miles from the Cumberland Island National Seashore, provides habitat to a number of federally-protected and state-protected endangered and threatened species including manatees, five species of sea turtles, gopher tortoises, Eastern indigo snakes, and wood storks.
- Six Northeastern senators, including Senator John Kerry, wrote a letter to President Bush calling on the Administration to to increase efforts to protect the right whale from boat collisions.
