The Whales Return

—Jeni Vogel, Education & Program Coordinator

Humpback whales breaching. Photo: animals.nationalgeographic.com

This past spring, I had the opportunity to visit the state of Alaska and experience its wildlife and pristine environment. One of my favorite memories from the trip was spotting the wildlife in the Alaskan waters. While visiting the City of Juneau, I went whale watching. To my amazement, I not only saw a humpback whale but a group of killer whales.

This past month, to my further amazement, humpback whale sightings within the Long Island Sound have been reported between New Rochelle and Norwalk. It has been many years since whales have been spotted in the Sound, so why have the whales headed this way?

Every spring, humpback whales migrate from tropical waters where they spend their winter mating and calving and head to more temperate and polar waters for feeding. Humpback whales typically feed on krill and other small fish. During the migration period, they usually remain in the deep ocean until they reach the areas along the coast of New York and Massachusetts when they move inward. It is amazing how these animals travel over 3,100 miles during migration, twice a year. Covering approximately 1,000 miles per month, it takes about three months to migrate from one spot to another. They are slow swimmers, moving at 3 - 9 miles per hour. It can be even slower when they are feeding, moving at only 1 - 3 miles per hour. Humpback whales can be spotted every 15 to 30 minutes as they will dive for 15 to 30 minute intervals and typically remain at the top of the water for 5 minutes at a time.

While the reason for their return to the Long Island Sound after such a long absence is yet to be determined, it could mean a change in pollution levels. The animals that whales prey on are affected by pollution because it decreases oxygen in the water. Could whale sightings mean that pollution levels have decreased, effectively increasing fish populations within the Sound? Another theory is that new fishing regulations have helped local fish populations rebound. It could be both, neither, or a combination of these factors, but one thing is for certain, we are happy to have these wonderful creatures back in the area, even if it is just for a short period of time. Please remember, if you are on the water and spot a whale, it is regulation to keep at least 100 feet away for their protection.