"The Right Whale: Tales of Resilience and Hope," a documentary by Cheryl and Nick Dean, will be shown Thursday night at 6 at the Southampton Arts Center. The film is a look at the lives of endangered right whales as they traverse the ocean and encounter both marine life and humans. The filmmakers were able to include close-up moments between mothers and calves.
Following the screening, there will be a panel with the film's producers and Carl Safina, an author and ecologist who teaches at Stony Brook University and runs the Safina Center in Setauket.
There are two species of right whales in the Atlantic: the North Atlantic and southern. A third species is found in the Pacific. The North Atlantic right whale is severely endangered because of entanglement with fishing gear, changes in the environment, and lethal collisions with ships. Researchers estimate that there are just 380 left.
The population of southern right whales, which are also featured in the film, has increased thanks to conservation efforts. They number approximately 10,000, but researchers working with the southern species have noticed a decline in recent years.
Tickets, which cost $25, $20 for members, are available on the Southampton Arts Center website, where there is also a trailer for the film.
This article has been updated since it was first published.
