@whatshappeningnj: In 2011, whale watchers working the waters between New York Harbor and Manasquan Inlet counted five humpbacks. By 2018, Gotham Whale, a nonprofit that studies whales in the region, had logged 272 sightings. A Rutgers researcher who studies them says the most likely driver is a rebound in Atlantic menhaden, the small schooling fish humpbacks love, helped along by cleaner, warmer water. Many of the whales are juveniles, which is unusual, since young humpbacks typically follow their mothers farther north to feed. That's why some Jersey boats have added whale watching trips, and also why researchers worry about collisions, since these whales are sharing the approach to one of the busiest ports in the country. More sightings don't necessarily mean the overall whale population is growing, but they do mean the New Jersey coast has become a place whales want to eat. #NewJersey #WildNewJersey #HumpbackWhales #JerseyShore #WhatsHappeningInNJ #NJWildlife

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2026-10-10 17:24:45

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