Entangled right whale found dead off North Carolina coast

Local News

NOAA confirms the death of a 4-year-old North Atlantic right whale after months of worsening injuries from fishing gear.

A North Atlantic right whale suffering from a prolonged entanglement in fishing gear has been found dead off the coast of North Carolina, according to the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration.

A partial whale carcass was spotted Jan. 27 by an aerial survey team from Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute about 25 miles off Avon, North Carolina, NOAA said. Visual assessments showed the whale’s health declined and its injuries had worsened as a result of the entanglement.

Scientists at the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium reviewed images and confirmed the animal was a 4-year-old male, according to a press release from New England Aquarium. He was named “Division” in 2025 for his callosity pattern, which resembles the mathematical division symbol, and was regularly sighted in the New England waters and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Despite his young age, Division had been entangled at least three times, scientists recorded. 

He was first spotted in his most recent entanglement on Dec. 3, 2025, with fishing line wrapped around his head and mouth, cutting into his blowhole and embedding in his upper jaw, according to the Aquarium.

A partial disentanglement was carried out by local response teams, but scientists in the Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center later noted multiple signs the whale had been entangled for an extended period and was experiencing a worrisome decline in his health, the Aquarium said. 

Poor weather and the whale’s distance from shore prevented further rescue efforts. He was last seen alive Jan. 21 off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, the Aquarium said.

“While this outcome is not a surprise given the severity of the entanglement, it’s still incredibly disheartening to bear witness to the death of a critically endangered right whale,” Heather Pettis, senior scientist in the Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center, said in the press release. 

The death is the first detected North Atlantic right whale fatality since May 2024, according to NOAA. Given the carcass’ location and dangerous weather conditions, NOAA said recovery and a necropsy are not possible. 

Federal authorities are analyzing the fishing gear recovered during the December disentanglement, the Aquarium said. 

“Division’s entanglement and ultimate death serve as a stark reminder that human activities remain a clear and present threat to this species,” Pettis said.