The Rice’s whale is one of the most endangered marine mammals on Earth—and it lives almost entirely within U.S. waters.

Fewer than 50 remain. Despite this, the U.S. government has failed to designate critical habitat, putting this species at daily risk from ship strikes, oil spills, and noise pollution.

We urge NOAA to immediately designate a Critical Habitat for the Rice’s whale under the Endangered Species Act. This is our responsibility—only we can save them because only we have them. Time is running out.

 
An American Whale on the Brink of Extinction

In 2021, scientists confirmed a new species of whale—the Rice’s whale (Balaenoptera Ricei). It's a 40-foot-long gentle giant that almost never ventures outside U.S. maritime borders. It is native to the Gulf of America (formerly the Gulf of Mexico).

Today, this species is facing extinction; only around 50 individuals are left. No other country has ever made a great whale go extinct. If we do not act, the U.S. will be the first.

What’s Threatening the Rice’s Whale?

Ship Collisions: 

In 2009, a ship arrived in Tampa Bay, Florida. It came with a corpse splayed across the bow. It was an adult female Rice’s whale that had been mutilated by a collision, her remains paraded across the waves. 

She was lactating at the time of death, and likely was a mother, her calf dead too.

In 2019, scientists spotted a Rice’s whale with a severely deformed spine. This was likely caused by a vessel collision. The whale was named “Lucky” for avoiding the fate that the mother and her child faced.

Each year, 20,000 whales die to ship collisions. Rice's whales are at the mercy of these charging juggernauts.

Oil Spills: 

In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil platform exploded. 5 million barrels were discharged into the Gulf of America, releasing over 200 million gallons of oil. Affecting the equivalent surface area of the average U.S. state, the oil, enough to fill over 300 Olympic swimming pools, was a poison for marine life. 

This spill killed more than a fifth of all Rice’s whale populations at the time. This single spill rendered half of the entire Rice’s whale habitat inhospitable. Another one could mean the end. Rice’s whales must be protected if oil spills are continuing in the gulf—and they are.

On November 16, 2023, at 9:10 am, a pipeline of Main Pass Oil Gathering released another million gallons of oil in the Gulf of America, overlapping Rice's whale habitats.

Warming Seas, Plastic, and Entanglement:

Habitat changes and human waste are making survival even harder for the last few whales.

No Critical Habitat Has Been Designated. Why?

Despite being listed as endangered under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Rice’s whales still lack a federally designated Critical Habitat, which is the most basic safeguard under the Endangered Species Act. This designation would allow for:

Ship speed limits in whale territory
Restrictions on offshore oil drilling
Reduced noise from seismic exploration
Without this, enforcement is weak, and the whales remain unprotected.

The Time to Act Is Now.

Coastal states, scientists, conservationists, and ordinary citizens are calling for action. NOAA has had multiple opportunities to act — but the Critical Habitat remains stalled. If we don’t move fast, another oil spill, another collision, or another policy delay could wipe out the entire species.

 
What We’re Asking:

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to immediately designate a Critical Habitat for the Rice’s whale, as required under the Endangered Species Act.

 
Why It Matters to All Americans:
This whale is not just any whale—it’s our whale, found nowhere else on Earth. Protecting it shows the world that America defends what’s uniquely ours, leads in conservation, and honors life in our oceans. Saving the Rice’s whale helps:

Prevent oil pollution in seafood
Improve ship safety and air quality
Support sustainable fishing
Demonstrate U.S. environmental leadership
 
Sign now and share:
Let’s show NOAA that Americans care about our only native whale. If we act today, we can prevent extinction. If we delay, we risk becoming the first nation to allow a great whale to disappear.

SIGN. SHARE. SPEAK UP.

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