A group of marine biologists and volunteers in Massachusetts is working to protect one of the rarest whale species on Earth — and now, thousands of strangers are stepping in to help.
The Marineland Right Whale Project recently launched a GoFundMe campaign to support conservation efforts for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, a species whose population has dwindled to about 380 individuals. The fundraiser, organized by volunteer and drone pilot Zoë Rauscher, aims to help researchers continue monitoring and protecting the whales during their annual migration seasons.
“North Atlantic right whales are a critically endangered marine mammal, with only about 380 individuals remaining at the end of 2024,” Rauscher wrote on the fundraiser page. “The two leading causes of death for North Atlantic right whales are ship strikes and entanglements, both resulting from human activities.”
For the volunteers who spend countless hours surveying the ocean, the mission is deeply personal.
According to People, the Marineland Right Whale Project is directed by researchers at Associated Scientists at Woods Hole, a nonprofit organization focused on protecting the vulnerable species through daily monitoring and rapid-response efforts.
Rauscher explained on GoFundMe that calves face some of the greatest risks because they “lack the experience and speed of adults to evade approaching vessels.”
To help reduce deadly ship strikes, volunteers scan the waters daily using drones, marine binoculars and high-resolution cameras. When whales are spotted, the team alerts project leaders, who then provide photographic evidence to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
That information helps activate an Early Warning System that notifies commercial and federal ships to slow down or change course to avoid the whales.
“In doing so, our non-profit organization helps protect vulnerable right whale mothers and calves during their annual migration, giving this species a better chance at survival,” Rauscher wrote on the fundraiser page.
But continuing that work requires funding — something conservation groups say has become increasingly difficult.
“In order for the researchers from Associated Scientists at Woods Hole to continue their impactful conservation efforts for the 2027 season, we must raise enough donations for the organization to be able to operate,” Rauscher wrote on GoFundMe. She also noted that the nonprofit depends heavily on grants and charitable donations as federal funding for environmental research becomes harder to secure.
Funds raised through the campaign help cover specialized equipment, including “remote-controlled drones, high-resolution cameras with telescopic lenses, and marine binoculars,” as well as research and administrative costs, according to the fundraiser.
The work is especially challenging because, as Rauscher explained to People, “Unfortunately it is not possible to chip or digitally track right whales.” Instead, “a designated team of volunteers surveys the ocean daily in order to locate the whales.”
Despite the enormous challenges facing the species, there are signs of hope.
The fundraiser has already surpassed its original goal, drawing support from hundreds of donors moved by the volunteers’ dedication and the whales’ fragile future. In an update shared on the GoFundMe page, Rauscher thanked supporters for their generosity.
“We are truly beyond grateful and inspired by your generosity toward our cause,” she wrote. “Although we have exceeded the goal for the 2027 season, donations will always be needed and used for the subsequent years of the project.”
According to People, NOAA Fisheries said it remains “cautiously optimistic” that the North Atlantic right whale population may slowly be increasing.
For the volunteers who continue watching the waters each day, every sighting — especially of a mother and calf — represents another small reason to hope.
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