Humpback whale appears in the Hudson River, delighting boaters in New York
Summary
- A humpback whale was seen in the Hudson River in New York City on Thursday, delighting boaters, tour crews, and office workers along the waterfront.
- Experts said the whale appeared young and healthy and was most likely feeding, possibly drawn by a dark cloud of menhaden spotted in the river.
- Whale sightings in the New York area, once a rarity, have become more common over the last decade, which experts attribute to richer food sources and cleaner waterways.
- Humpbacks in the New York area migrate along the south shore of Long Island and travel to warmer Caribbean waters in winter to give birth.
- Whales are federally protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and getting too close to them can lead to fines and charges.
- A whale nicknamed Gotham took up residence in the Hudson River in late November 2016, and whales were also sighted there in 2009 and 1988.
Reactions
- Maxine Montello and Rob DiGiovanni urged New Yorkers to give whales space and report sightings to the New York Marine Rescue Center and the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society.
- Maxine Montello said officials could sometimes implement speed restrictions if whales are spotted near large numbers of recreational or commercial vessels.
- Cait Field called the sighting 'pretty neat' and said it lit up radio communications among her colleagues.
- Paul P. Murphy said it was really cool to see the whale.
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- Humpback Whale Appears in the Hudson, Delighting Boaters and New Yorkers
nytimes.com· 43h
A humpback whale appeared in the Hudson River, delighting boaters, including the crew and guests of the yacht Manhattan III, and was described by experts as likely young, healthy, and feeding. Experts say New York-area whale sightings have grown more common, and conservationists urge New Yorkers to give whales space and report sightings.
