Date: Wed, 13 Mar, 1996
Groups allege Navy killed right whales

BOSTON, (UPI) -- Animal rights groups are asking the Navy to either move their war games away from a critical habitate for the endangered northern right whales off Florida and Georgia, or delay them until the whales leave the area in April.

The International Wildlife Coalition and the Humane Society of the United States said Wednesday the Navy may have killed as many as five of the world's 300 or so remaining right whales during recent exercises.

The Navy so far has refused responsibility for the deaths, said David Wiley, senior scientist for the Massachusetts-based coalition. Wiley said, however, that the five or six right whales killed in calving grounds were concurrent with gunnery practice and the use of bombs during Naval operations off Florida and Georgia. Wiley said tests indicate at least some of the deaths may be due to concussion from underwater explosions, while others were likely due to ship strikes.
"You would have to ignore an awful lot of information to absolve the Navy of any responsibility," Wiley said.

Navy spokesman Cmdr. Stephen Pietropaoli told The Boston Globe Wednesday it is "unfortunate and premature to be making allegations that the Navy is somehow responsible."

"The coincidence of death with Navy exercises is truly alarming," said Sharon Young of the Humane Society of the United States.

The two groups called on the Navy to immediately cease all activities until the right whales leave the area in early April. Pietropaoli said the Navy planned to go ahead with planned NATO exercises later this month.

The northern right whale is the most critically endangered species of large whale, and is protected under the Endangered Species Act.



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