What's in a name? Rice’s whales already considered endangered by the US with a population estimated at fewer than 100 Joshua Rapp Learn A Bryde’s whale. The endangered Gulf of Mexico population may be just one more catastrophe away from extinction. In the western North Pacific, Bryde's whale abundance in the early 1980s was estimated independently by tag mark-recapture and ship survey methods to be 22,000 to 24,000 (Tillman and Mizroch 1982; Miyashita 1986). The name is pronounced 'Broo-dess'. The population is tiny: the act lists it as fewer than 100 individuals, but a 2009 survey suggested only 33 remained alive at the time. The population of Gulf of Mexico Bryde's whales is one step closer to being listed as endangered. Bryde’s whale is a small to medium-sized baleen whale which can be found swimming throughout the tropical/subtropical climates of the world.. Both are massive filter-feeders that can reach 17 meters (55 feet) long and weigh 30 tons. Calves are about 11 to 13 feet long at birth and weigh about 2,200 pounds, or about the same weight as a cargo container. Some populations of Bryde's whales take such a liking to an area that they are considered ‘resident’, while other populations migrate away from the equator in summer and back again in winter. The Rice’s whale maintains the same protections even though it now goes by a new name. There is also a smaller and more elusive whale known as the “pygmy bryde’s whale” which is a considerably smaller and less abundant than the more popular and better known bryde’s whale.. Why we care: The Gulf of Mexico Bryde’s whale population is estimated at 33 individuals and very little is known about this species. As an example, the abundance estimate for Southern Hemisphere blue whales is 2,300 with a 95% confidence interval of 1,150 - 4,500. Adult female Bryde’s whales average about 44 feet long and males average 42 feet, about the length of a school bus. POPULATION SIZE. Endangered Species Act in 2019. This means that there is a 95% chance that the true number lies somewhere between 1,150 and 4,500. The Rice’s whale is in deep trouble . Bryde's whale abundance has … 5. Lynne Warren; Animals; Feb 01, 2020; In a rare sighting, a Bryde’s whale pops up for a breath of air. The newly described whales, dubbed Rice’s whales… Increases or decreases in population are indicated within the table, where these have been identified. Sei whales are rorquals (family Balaenopteridae), baleen whales that include the humpback whale, the blue whale, Bryde's whale, the fin whale, and the minke whale. Oceanic shark populations dropped 71 percent since 1970 ... A recently published article in Marine Mammal Science indicates that the whale previously known as the Bryde’s whale is … In this study, we investigated the distribution of the Bryde's whale (B … Community-based population monitoring for large baleen whales: the case study of Bryde's whale in … Bryde’s whale WCS discovered a large and genetically distinct population of bottlenose dolphins in the Swatch-of-No-Ground submarine canyon. At first glance, the Bryde’s whale and the population from the Gulf of Mexico are nearly indistinguishable. This distinctive Gulf population is now critically endangered. Species Spotlight: Bryde's Whale. Nearly 30% of individuals exhibit injuries from fishing gear entanglement indicating a strong potential for fatalities. The Bryde’s whale was listed under the U.S.