Larger females have more calves: influence of maternal body length on fecundity in North Atlantic right whales

North Atlantic right whales (NARW) are critically endangered and have been declining in abundance since 2011. In the past decade, human-caused mortalities from vessel strikes entanglements increasing, while birth rates population at a 40 yr low. addition to abundance, recent studies shown that NARW length-at-age is decreasing due energetic impacts of sub-lethal entanglements, body condition poorer than closely related southern whales. We examined whether shorter lengths associated with reduced fecundity female NARW. compared age-corrected, modeled metrics length 3 fecundity: age first reproduction, average inter-birth interval, number calves produced per potential reproductive year. found significantly interval year, but not reproduction. Larger had intervals more also higher lifetime calf production, this was result larger having longer spans, as generally over yr. Declining sizes contributor low decade. Efforts reduce could help maintain viability by increasing improving resiliency other anthropogenic climate impacts.