NEOMED’s Dr. Hans Thewissen shares his thoughts on the lifespan of whales in Science magazine

Dec. 26, 2024

Dr. Hans Thewissen, the Ingalls-Brown Professor of Anatomy and a Distinguished University Professor, discusses research suggesting southern right whales may live up to 150 years, nearly twice as long as previously believed. In contrast, human threats like fishing gear entanglements limit North Atlantic right whales to an average of 22 years. The findings emphasize the urgent need for conservation to protect these long-lived marine mammals.

Science.org: Some whales may live nearly twice as long as believed—if we let them