Our new research indicates that southern right whales may live beyond 150 years, significantly surpassing the previously accepted lifespan of 70-80 years.
We found that the average lifespan of North Atlantic right whales is alarmingly low at just 22 years, primarily due to human-caused mortality factors.
Using photo identification, we tracked individual female whales over decades, enabling us to create survival curves that estimate their potential lifespans.
Despite being closely related, the stark difference in longevity between southern and North Atlantic right whales can be attributed primarily to human impacts like entanglement.
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