Rice’s Whales Face Drilling Threat

0:00On March 31st, the rice's whale is one of the rarest mammals on earth, living exclusively in the Gulf of Mexico with fewer than 100 individuals left, possibly under 50. The Trump administration plans to expand oil and gas drilling right in their habitat, and experts warn this could drive the species to extinction. Through vessel strikes, noise pollution, spills, and worsening climate effects, these whales stick to a narrow zone in the north-eastern Gulf, diving deep for specific fatty fish during the day, and resting near the surface at night, making them extra vulnerable. With energy prices spiking from tensions with Iran, defense secretary Pete Hakeseth cited national security to request an exemption from endangered, species protections, scientists and conservationists are sounding the alarm, saying the drilling would compound risks, not just for rice's whales, but also manatees, sea, turtles, sperm whales, and corals across the connected Gulf ecosystem. Many of these threats, like those from the 2010 Debwater Horizons Bill, have already

1:03hit the tiny population hard. The Interior Department's Endangered Species Committee, known as the God Squad, meets Tuesday to review the request. This rare panel can override protections for big federal projects if they deem it in the national interest, but it has only granted exemptions twice. Before. Meanwhile, critics fear this could open the door to bypassing rules anywhere from California to Alaska, putting countless species at risk just to, boost drilling, keep an eye on how this plays out for the Gulf's fragile wildlife. That wraps global news today, brought to you with AI, I'm Cory with the story.