New Yorkers enjoyed a rare whale sighting on Monday when a whale was spotted swimming under the Brooklyn Bridge.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed the Gothamist sighting on Tuesday. At the time, the Coast Guard could not confirm whether the whale was a humpback whale or an endangered North Atlantic right whale.
Usually, humpback whale sightings are more common, but this summer more than 80 northern right whales were seen off the coast of Long Island.
Footage obtained by Fox News shows the whale spouting from a blowhole just below the historic bridge at sunset. In the video, onlookers can be heard gasping.
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New Yorkers were shocked Monday when a whale was spotted swimming near the Brooklyn Bridge. (Helena Lippolis)
“Oh! Did you see that?” one viewer said.
The whale reportedly swam along the East River and was even spotted near the Manhattan Bridge.
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Gotham Whale, a group that tracks marine life in the New York City area, told Fox News Digital that the sighting was “more or less possible.” [of an] A rare event. ”
A whale was spotted spouting beneath a historic New York City bridge. (Helena Lippolis)
“It's not clear whether the whales are still alive.” [the New York City] Gotham Whale Research Director Daniel Brown told FOX News Digital: “It's very likely the whale was in the area today due to a busy holiday travel schedule, but it hasn't been reported yet. Only,” he said.
Brown also estimated that there are dozens of humpback whales swimming off the coasts of New York and New Jersey.
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In an unrelated example, Gotham Whale also noted that two humpback whales were seen near Spring Lake, New Jersey, on Sunday. The mother and calf pair swam in just 30 feet of water and were discovered near a fishing boat.
A humpback whale feeds on Rockaway Beach in New York City with the Freedom Tower in the background on September 15, 2014. (Artie Lazurich via Getty Images)
“This is a vulnerable time for calves as most calves are weaned and preparing to leave their mothers,” the group advised in a Facebook post. “Be careful as this little whale learns to feed!”
“Always maintain a distance of at least 100 feet from all whales, but give mothers and calves extra space.”
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This incident is not the first time a whale has been spotted swimming near the Big Apple. Humpback whales were spotted in the Hudson River in 2020, apparently attracted by the presence of small fish.
On April 18, 2007, a baby minke whale surfaces while swimming in Gowanus Bay in Brooklyn, New York. (Michael Hyman, via Getty Images)
It's not uncommon for humpback whale carcasses to wash up near New York City. From December 2022 to February 2023, 13 dead whales were found near the New York and New Jersey coastlines.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. Coast Guard for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Grace Taggart, Julia Musto and James Rogers contributed to this report.
