North Shore Film Screening Aims To Save The North Atlantic Right Whale

MARBLEHEAD, MA — Several North Shore animal and maritime advocacy groups teamed up to screen the documentary "Saving the Right Whale" at the Abbot Public Library this week as the groups look to rally around the challenges facing one of New England's iconic sea mammals.

Speak up for Animals, Salem Sound Coastwatch, Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach, Change is Simple, Keep Salem Beautiful, Nahant S.W.I.M, Swampscott Historical Society, and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead co-sponsored the screening and discussion on the critically endangered large whale species.

"Right whales are an iconic New England species but are sadly now a rarity along our coasts,"

said Sophia Naumovski, oceans associate with Environment Massachusetts Research and Policy Center. "The more the public knows about these whales, the more likely we are to see them recover and return en masse to our shores. As calving season starts up in the southeast, we want to prepare and protect the new babies that will migrate up here in the spring.

"While seeing historians, churchgoers and whale scientists walk into a library sounds like the setup to a groan-worthy joke, it's this community-wide awareness that will make a difference for our whales."

It is estimated that only 370 of these whales remain. While the species once faced extinction after intensive whaling, today Right whales are struggling in the face of new challenges, including threats from fishing gear entanglements and boat strikes.

Following the screening, over 75 attendees heard from Amy Warren, an assistant research scientist in the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium. Warren said the research her team at the New England Aquarium is conducting to help study and save Right whales and answered questions about these whales' lives and challenges.

"Connecting with the community is a small but mighty effort we can't spare when trying to preserve a species," said Amy Warren.

Those looking to learn more about the Environment Massachusetts Research and Policy Center's pledge to save the whales can learn more here.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)