“After a long few weeks and the incredible effort to retrieve and necropsy three [North Atlantic right whales] in Prince Edward Island, we can release some preliminary information on the state of these animals,” according to the Marine Animal Response Society. “Based on preliminary observations, there is reasonable suggestion of blunt trauma in two of the animals, although underlying problems that may have predisposed these animals to this trauma cannot be ruled out at this stage. The third animal had a chronic entanglement.”

Tonya Wimmer of the Marine Animal Response Society said that the preliminary necropsies on three of the whales indicate that two of them sustained blunt traumas that caused extensive bruising along their sides and internal hemorrhaging.

A third died after becoming entangled in fishing rope that wrapped around one flipper and inside its mouth, she said.

“Additional analyses are still ongoing and we anticipate completing a final report within six-eight weeks,” said Wimmer. “There is clearly work that needs to be done immediately to protect this species throughout its range in Canadian waters.”

As the necropsies got underway, Justin Trudeau, Canada’s Prime Minister, posted an image on Facebook of the marine mammal experts carving into one of the animals:

As we reported earlier, in the United States, marine biologists with NOAA Fisheries, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission warn boaters, anglers, and coastal residents to be alert when North Atlantic right whales are in the area.

Scientists estimate there are as few as 465 right whales remaining, and each loss is devastating to the remaining population. Every winter, right whales travel more than 1,000 miles from their feeding grounds off Canada and New England to the warm coastal waters of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida's east coast.