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North Atlantic right whales now have a GoFundMe

A Cape Cod-based research group is turning to public donations to help fund efforts to protect one of the world’s most endangered whale species.

March 29, 2026 | 8:57 AM

1 minute to read

Marine biologists in Cape Cod have launched a fundraiser to support research aimed at protecting one of the world’s most endangered whale species —the North Atlantic right whale.

The Marineland Right Whale Project (MRWP) launched a GoFundMe campaign last month to fund ongoing research and conservation work. So far, the fundraiser has brought in about $630 toward its $15,000 goal.

MRWP volunteer and drone pilot Zoe Rauscher, who organized the GoFundMe, said the nonprofit organization’s work relies largely on grants and public contributions, which are hard to come by.

“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 the fundraiser page.

The project is led by researchers at the Associated Scientists at Woods Hole, and donations will support fieldwork, such as aerial and vessel-based surveys, as well as specialized equipment, including drones, high-resolution cameras, and marine binoculars.

North Atlantic right whales are critically endangered, with just a few hundred thought to be remaining. Scientists say the leading causes of death are vessel strikes and entanglements in fishing gear.

“Calves are particularly vulnerable as they lack the experience and speed of adults to evade approaching vessels,” Rauscher said.

Recent deaths have underscored those risks. Last month, scientists at the New England Aquarium identified a 3-year-old female right whale that washed ashore off Virginia. Two weeks earlier, a male right whale died after becoming entangled in fishing gear.

Donations can also be made through the organization’s website marinelandrightwhale.org.