2 Right Whales Entangled Off Massachusetts Coast, 1 In Dire Condition

MASSACHUSETTS — New England Aquarium officials shared somber news about two endangered right whales spotted off the coast of Massachusetts in recent days.

The organization said two New England right whales were seen southeast of Nantucket entangled in fishing gear.

A 13-year-old female whale has been entangled for at least the third time, officials said. A 3-year-old male was entangled for the first documented time and, officials said, because of "the configuration of the entangling gear," is likely to die.

That whale's family, officials said, "has a long and sad history of entanglement."

He was born in 2021 to female “Binary” and is the third of her three calves. Binary has suffered three entanglements, including a case where she got entangled in gillnet gear while her 2011 calf was at her side.

"Fortunately, she was able to shed the entangling gear," officials said.