North Atlantic Right Whale Bookmark (Brass)

Hand crafted, brush finished brass bookmark.

Approx. 9cm length.

North Atlantic Right Whales were hunted to near extinction by the early 1900s.  In fact the hunters gave them their name 'Right Whales' because they considered them the right whales to hunt.  Now their biggest threats are collision with commercial shipping, and entanglement in fishing nets.  Oceanic noise pollution caused by shipping and invasive practices like fracking, is also having a devastating impact on their ability to communicate (even within close pods) and navigate - or even remain in - some of their most well-travelled routes, feeding and mating grounds.  They once swam the length and breadth of most northern waters, but there are an estimated 370 individuals remaining, with some scientists believing they may already be functionally extinct.

Fun fact: when born, right whale calves are already 15 feet long and weight around a tonne.