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A photo of the whale captured Dec. 8 by photographer Bjoern Kils -- who runs the New York Media Boat that tours around New York City -- has been going viral on social media.
The whale was also spotted near One World Trade Center and other spots on the water around New York before leaving the area.
Kils was the photographer who captured the last image of a humpback whale in the area that surfaced in 2016.
"It was neat. It definitely brought a bit of excitement to our day," Kils told Insider. "It's been a slow year for the company because of the lack of tourism. So when we know there's a whale out here, we fully document it but also provide a secure area to protect it.”
According to reports, the whale was approximately 40-feet long and it slapped its tail twice in the water during its surprise appearance in front of tour-goers. It repeatedly resurfaced to take a breath while it took in the sights.
Reports said that Kils was active in advising other vessels in the area to give the humpback whale its space after it was first spotted, though there are fewer boats in the water these days due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is believed that the whale was lured into the area by baitfish, which brought the whale to the food. The whale - dubbed “NYC0089” was first spotted by researchers in June 2018.
In recent years, more than a dozen humpback whales have been detected in New York waters, according to state officials, with some as close to shore as 550 yards from the beach in the Rockaways.
“There's a humpback whale in NYC!,” NYC Parks posted on Twitter. “Wildlife sightings in NYC aren't confined to land and air: you can spot whales, seals, and dolphins in our city. Some marine mammals can be seen here year-round, while others migrate to our relatively warmer waters for the winter from up north.
“Reasons for the uptick may include an improvement in local water quality, and an abundance of food sources like Atlantic menhaden.”
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