It might sound like a good thing that the number of whale sightings have increased around New York City and northern New Jersey, but it’s actually a huge safety concern for both the animals and humans.
The result of warmer and cleaner waters in the area, the population of Atlantic menhaden, humpback whales’ major food source, has grown and is now attracting the marine mammal. Gotham Whale reported that whales sightings have rocketed, from five in 2011 to 272 in 2018, with many sightings occurring less than two miles from the shore.
