PORTLAND, Maine (AP) -- A North Atlantic right whale has been spotted entangled in rope off New England, worsening an already devastating year for the vanishing animals, federal authorities said.
The right whales number less than 360 and are vulnerable to entanglement in fishing gear and collisions with ships. The entangled whale was seen last Tuesday about 50 miles south of Rhode Island's Block Island, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.
The whale has rope coming out of both sides of its mouth and has been far from shore, making it difficult for rescuers to help, NOAA said in a statement.
"Given the long distance from shore, experts were unable to safely travel to the last known location of the whale during daylight to attempt a rescue," the statement said. "NOAA Fisheries and our partners will monitor this whale and attempt to respond to the entanglement, if possible, as weather and safety conditions allow."
Several right whales have died this year off Georgia and Massachusetts, and environmental groups fear the species could be headed for extinction. The animal's population fell about 25 percent from 2010 to 2020.