The Trump administration has once again demonstrated its disregard for endangered species, this time by canceling protections for Rice’s whales.

On February 20, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, a division of the Department of the Interior, announced the cancellation of a notice that advised ship operators in the Gulf of Mexico to limit their speed to 10 knots (11.5 miles per hour) or less to protect Rice’s whales. The notice, which was implemented in 2023, aimed to safeguard these endangered marine mammals in a significant portion of the Gulf.

The exact number of Rice’s whales remaining in the Atlantic Ocean is uncertain, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that there are likely fewer than 100 individuals. This makes them one of the rarest whale species globally, protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Their population has declined by 22% due to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, according to NOAA.

In addition to the speed restriction, the notice also required ship operators to station trained visual observers on board to monitor the waters and maintain a distance of at least 1,640 feet (500 meters) from any observed Rice’s whales.

The cancellation of the notice was made to comply with an order from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, titled Unleashing American Energy, which aims to remove regulatory barriers to the development and use of the nation’s energy and natural resources.

Environmental advocates have expressed outrage over the decision. Michael Jasny, director of marine mammal protection for the Natural Resources Defense Council, stated that the recommendations were based on “common sense,” as he told the Tampa Bay Times. “The consequences of fatal error are too dire to contemplate,” he added. “When you’re talking about one of the most endangered whales on the planet, it’s a reasonable thing to slow down in that school zone.”

A spokesperson for the American Petroleum Institute, however, disagreed with the recommendations, stating that they imposed “significant burdens” on offshore oil and gas producers while failing to account for vessel traffic from other users in the region, as reported by the Times.

Rice’s whales are not only exceedingly rare but also one of the newest recognized species of whales. Initially spotted in the Gulf of Mexico in the 1960s, they were initially believed to be part of the Bryde’s whale family. It wasn’t until 2021 that genetic and morphological testing confirmed they were a distinct species.

These whales are large mammals, measuring up to 41 feet (12.5 meters) in length and weighing up to 60,000 pounds (27,215 kilograms). They face numerous threats, primarily due to industrial activities, including energy exploration, oil spills, entanglement in fishing gear, and human-created ocean debris and noise, according to NOAA.

During the day, Rice’s whales stay in deeper waters to feed, but at night, they often rise to within 50 feet (12 meters) of the surface, making them vulnerable to being struck by ships. This has proven fatal at least once, in 2009, when a whale was found floating in the Port of Tampa, with a necropsy determining that the female’s death was caused by a collision with a boat.

The decision to rescind the notice comes just weeks after the firing of BOEM chief Elizabeth Klein, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden in 2023. The early weeks of the second Trump administration have been marked by a significant purge of civil servants, as the president seeks to install loyalists in traditionally apolitical roles.

This move is a stark reminder of the challenges we face in protecting our environment and the need for continued vigilance in the face of such actions.