The North Atlantic right whale is already one of the most endangered animals on the planet. Right whales had an unfortunate combination of features that made them highly attractive to 17th and 18th century whalers. Growing to more than 50 feet long and weighing over 70 tons, they seem almost tailor-made for the needs of whalers. They are slow swimmers, so they’re easily caught. They are docile filter feeders, easy to follow, and unlikely to damage ships when harpooned. They also contain a large amount of blubber, so they not only float after death, they can be rendered down to produce many barrels of whale oil.

The reason the whales weren’t heavily hunted in the 19th century is … there weren’t any. By 1750, the species was already on the ropes.

Today there are only an estimated 458 animals remaining, and they’re dying off faster than they are reproducing. Only five were born in 2017, while 17 animals are known to have died. But 2017 seems like a happy memory compared to this season.

The situation appears to be getting worse: Researchers tracking the whales' usual calving grounds off Georgia and northern Florida have not seen a single calf yet this breeding season, which started in December and peaks in January and February.

Spotters along the East Coast have seen no sign of a single newborn right whale.