A whale was spotted swimming in the East River on New Year’s Eve.
The NYPD Special Operations Division shared images of the whale breaching the surface of the water Saturday morning.
“#Harbor spotted another whale in the E. River this morning right next to Gracie Mansion. Even the wildlife want to ring in #NYE2017 in #NYC,” the division tweeted.
Based on the mammal’s dorsal fin, it appears to be a humpback whale, said Paul Sieswerda, president of Gotham Whale, which tracks marine life in the waters around New York City.
“What is it doing here? That is the question,” according to Sieswerda, who said it’s “quite unusual” for whales to be in the New York Harbor.
The whale’s presence could mean it’s sick or otherwise unhealthy, or simply that followed fish on which it had been feeding into the river.
This is the second time a whale has been seen in New York waters recently.
In November, another whale breached the surface of New York Harbor near the Statute of Liberty.
With Newsday
