We’re almost out of time to save these whales.

Before right whales go extinct, urge the Biden administration to finalize a vessel speed rule! ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Defenders of Wildlife] [ACT NOW]( Defender, I want to make sure you saw Robert’s note – we need to act fast if we’re going to save North Atlantic right whales from extinction. Yet another right whale calf has been mortally wounded by a vessel strike. This calf was the most recent of eight birthed by “Juno,” one of fewer than 70 reproductive right whale females that still survive. Each of these incidents threatens the future of the entire species. These whales cannot afford for us to wait another minute: Join us in calling on the Biden administration to finalize the vessel speed rule and end these preventable tragedies! [Time is running out – take action today to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales from deadly vessel strikes!]( Thank you, Jane Davenport Senior Attorney [North Atlantic Right Whale and Calf (c) (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce]( Urge the Biden Administration to Finalize a Vessel Speed Rule! Dear Defender, Another endangered North Atlantic right whale calf has been struck and lethally injured by a vessel. These repeated injuries to and deaths of right whale calves and their mothers are infuriating, because we know how to stop them from happening. It’s time for the Biden administration to finalize the long-delayed vessel speed rule to protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales from vessel strikes. [End these agonizing deaths – sign your comment to the Secretary of Commerce urging immediate action to save right whales from being struck and killed by vessels!]( We’re running out of time to put these protections in place. Only about 356 North Atlantic right whales still survive, and just 70 of those are breeding females. Every single calf born is vital to the survival of this species. But mother-calf pairs are especially vulnerable to vessel strikes during calving season. Each time a vessel traumatically injures or kills a right whale mother or calf, it pushes these whales closer to the edge of extinction. We cannot afford for the Biden administration to drag its feet on finalizing an expanded vessel speed rule. They need to hear from all of us, while we can still save this species from disappearing! [Don’t let right whales go extinct. Click here to tell the Biden administration to finalize life-saving protections as soon as possible!]( The longer we wait to enact an expanded vessel speed rule, the more right whales we’ll lose to preventable and deadly vessel strikes. It may be too late to save this recently injured calf – but we may be able to stop future agonizing deaths from happening. Defender, we cannot allow these tragedies to continue. Speak up for endangered right whales by adding your name today! [SIGN TODAY TO SAVE RIGHT WHALES>>]( Thank you for your dedication to defending the animals who need us most. Sincerely, Robert Dewey Vice President, Government Relations Defenders of Wildlife [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [YouTube]( Defenders of Wildlife 1130 17th Street NW • Washington, DC 20036 defenders.org © 2024 Defenders of Wildlife --------------------------------------------------------------- Photo credit: North Atlantic Right Whale and Calf © NOAA/U.S. Department of Commerce This email was sent to {EMAIL} Please do not respond to this email. [Unsubscribe here]( or update your preferences [here!]( [supporter]