500 Humpback Whales in Our Waters | New York City News

New York City News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 3, 2026 · 1m

Whale watchers off New York and New Jersey have spotted their 500th individual humpback whale — a major milestone showing these giants are increasingly making our busy coastal waters home. Cleaner seas and shifting fish populations are drawing them closer, but with ports bustling and ships speeding through, collisions are tragically common. Researchers use unique tail markings to track these visitors, who now linger for weeks or months to feed before heading south — a behavior that’s only recently become widespread. Sightings have surged from ten to over a hundred annually, hinting at real…