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Humpback Whale Makes Big City Splash In NY Harbor

A humpback whale made quite a splash with a group of fisherman in New York City, making a surprise appearance off the coast of Staten Island.

A humpback whale was spotted in a New York harbor.

A humpback whale was spotted in a New York harbor.

Photo Credit: Alex Carr via Facebook

The whale was spotted by Alex Carr and several of his co-workers from the Staten Island Zoo who were celebrating a friend’s birthday out on Raritan Bay.

The large whale was approximately 100 feet from the boat at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 17 when Carr and his buddies managed to snap several photos. The whale hung around in the water for longer than a half-hour as the bemused fishermen watched it.

This is the second sighting of a whale in New York this summer. In June, whales were caught on camera near the South Shore of Long Island, elating approximately a half-mile off the coast of the Moriches Inlet.

Humpbacks live in oceans around the world and travel major distances every year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They have one of the longest migrations of any mammal on the planet, with some swimming 5,000 miles from their tropical breeding grounds to colder feeding grounds.

On Twitter, the NYSDEC posted, “Attention All Marine Boaters – please be sure to watch out for #Whales when on the water! #HumpbackWhales are one of the most common whale species found in New York’s waters.”

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