Humpback whale surprises onlookers with rare East River appearance

A surprising visitor has been spotted in the East River — a humpback whale, marking the first appearance of the species in the area in two years in the US. 

A humpback whale made a surprising appearance beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, marking the first time in two years that the species has been spotted in the East River, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

"It's far more typical to see them along the ocean coastline. We've had only a few rare instances of them entering the river, but it does happen," said Danielle Brown, director of research at Gotham Whale.

A single photo of the whale captured it striking its large fluke against the turbulent waters with the iconic Brooklyn Bridge visible in the background.

Additional reports suggest that the humpback also swam through the Buttermilk Channel, a narrow waterway between Governor’s Island and Red Hook, located about 40 miles from its usual feeding grounds near Rockaway Beach.

Brown speculates that the whale may have been simply hunting for food, as Atlantic Menhaden, a favorite of humpbacks, is commonly found in the area, along with white perch, striped bass, flounder, black sea bass, and other species. 

While whales typically avoid the city's core, possibly due to heavy boating traffic, they occasionally venture into these waters to take advantage of the abundant marine life. 

“The whales will follow fish wherever they need to go. So sometimes that does mean heading north into the river, and it does seem to happen this time of year,” Brown explained.

Though she noted that the sighting was “not totally out of the ordinary,” Brown recalled that the last time a humpback appeared in the East River was in 2022. Before that, one was spotted in the Hudson River in 2020.

“It’s been a couple years, but we’ve had records of other interesting species in the Hudson River,” Brown added.

“For example, there have been many dolphin sightings in the Hudson River over the years, so we know it’s possible for these species to move in that direction, but of course, it’s always a surprise — especially when it comes to these whales,” Brown noted.

Unfortunately, the single photo taken of whale didn't capture any distinctive features, making it impossible for experts to confirm its age or size. However, based on past humpbacks that have visited the area, Brown estimates the whale is a juvenile, likely measuring between 25 and 35 feet long.

No other sightings of the whale have been reported, but that doesn’t mean it has left New York Harbor for deeper waters.

Previous humpbacks that visited the area spent several days in the rivers before eventually heading back to the ocean, so this whale may still be feeding on Menhaden beneath the Brooklyn Bridge.