The rare Rice's whale at risk from Trump plans for more Gulf drilling
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- The Trump administration seeks to expand oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, threatening the endangered Rice’s whale, which lives exclusively in the gulf and numbers fewer than 100 individuals.
- Scientists warn that increased drilling could exacerbate risks such as vessel strikes, noise pollution, oil spills, and climate change impacts, endangering not only Rice’s whales but also other threatened species like manatees and sea turtles.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has requested an exemption from endangered species laws on national security grounds, prompting the Interior Department’s Endangered Species Committee, known as the “God Squad,” to consider approving the drilling despite potential extinction risks.
- The Rice’s whale is a recently recognized species with a specialized diet and habitat, making it particularly vulnerable to disturbances from drilling-related activities and environmental changes linked to fossil fuel use.
- Environmental experts express concern that granting exemptions could set a precedent for weakening endangered species protections nationwide, threatening multiple species beyond the Gulf of Mexico.
