IUCN Formally Upgrades North Atlantic Right Whale to 'Critically Endangered'

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) formally upgraded the North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis) to 'Critically Endangered' on its Red List in April 2026 — the highest threat category before extinction in the wild. Approximately 400 individuals remain, with only around 100 reproductive-age females. While ship strike mortality has declined following international shipping lane adjustments, fatal gear entanglements in fishing rope have increased. NOAA had previously classified the population under an Unusual Mortality Event. Scientists warn that without immediate comprehensive ropeless fishing gear mandates across the full habitat range, functional extinction within decades remains a plausible outcome.