This summer, if you took a trip to New York City, you may have seen a humpback whale breeching in the New York Harbor. A decade ago this would have been an anomaly. But within a few short years, humpbacks sightings have become common enough to warrant whale-watching cruises.
Once synonymous with Cape Cod, humpback whales on a feeding frenzy can now be observed just a stone’s throw from the Statue of Liberty – with the added bonus of the New York City skyline in the background.
Ecologists believe the increase in whale sightings is tied, in part, to water quality improvements in the Hudson River – which flows into New York Harbor. Cleaner waters have led to an increase in populations of menhaden, an oily fish in the herring family.
This abundant food supply means that some whales are now concentrating their North Atlantic feeding in New York and New Jersey waters rather than continuing north to Massachusetts and Maine.
In 2011, five whales were spotted in the New York City waters. The following year saw 25 of the majestic animals. In 2013, numbers climbed to 43. While 2014 numbers are not officially in, they are expected to continue the upward trend.
Dolphin and seal populations are also on the rise in the region. Near Staten Island, a colony of harbor seals has increased to 66 from just ten in 2006. These animals, in turn, have been tied to a rise in great white sharks.
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Cleaner New York waters see surge in whale and shark numbers
Photo, posted September 26, 2010, courtesy of Thomas via Flickr.
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Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.