Feds Ask Ships to Slow Down to Protect Rare Whales Near NYC

A North Atlantic right whale feeds on the surface of Cape Cod bay off the coast of Plymouth, Mass., on March 28, 2018. Michael Dwyer/AP Photo

NEW YORK—Scientists have detected a rare species of whale southeast of New York City, and the federal government is using a voluntarily protected zone to try to keep them safe.

There are fewer than 350 North Atlantic right whales left, according to scientists.