A humpback whale breached off New York City in late July, filmed by Chris St. Lawrence aboard an American Princess whale-watching cruise that partners with Gotham Whale. In July the nonprofit officially added its 500th individual humpback to a catalog it has maintained since 2012 using unique fluke patterns. Sightings have risen sharply—from about 10–30 whales a year before 2018 to roughly 80–100 annually—likely due to warming seas, bringing whales closer to busy ports and increasing risks from vessel strikes and fishing entanglement.
Majestic Humpback Breaches Near NYC Skyline — Gotham Whale Marks 500th Cataloged Individual
A humpback whale leaps out of the water.
In late July, passengers aboard an American Princess whale-watching cruise captured a spectacular humpback whale breaching just off New York City. The footage, recorded by Chris St. Lawrence, shows the whale rising from the water and slapping its tail back down—momentarily framed against the Manhattan skyline.
A humpback whale sticks its fins out of the water.
The cruise operator partners with the nonprofit Gotham Whale, which has cataloged individual humpback whales in New York waters since 2012 by identifying unique fluke (tail) patterns. The program relies on photographs contributed by tour boats and members of the public to build a long-term monitoring database.
A humpback whale breaches with the New York City skyline in the background.
In July the organization officially added its 500th individual humpback to the catalog, a milestone that reflects a sharp increase in local sightings over the past decade. Gotham Whale reports that documented sightings rose from roughly 10–30 whales per year before 2018 to about 80–100 whales annually in recent years.
A humpback whale scoops fish up into its mouth.
Over the past 15 years, we have learned so much by tracking New York City's humpback whales, watching many return here year after year—even following some from juveniles to adulthood, said Dr. Danielle Brown, Gotham Whale's director of research and board president. 500 humpback whales in our catalog is exciting, but we must also remember that with more whales comes more overlap with human activities.
Why This Matters
Rising ocean temperatures are changing the distribution of many marine species, including fish, sharks and whales. As more humpbacks spend time in the New York/New Jersey region, they come closer to busy shipping lanes and ports, increasing the risk of vessel strikes. Entanglement in fishing gear and collisions with boats remain among the leading causes of death for large whales such as humpbacks worldwide.
Paul PJ Sieswerda, Gotham Whale's board vice president, emphasized the role of public engagement: every documented whale improves understanding and protection of the remarkable wildlife that lives just beyond New York City's skyline. Gotham Whale, based on Staten Island, continues to study, advocate for and educate the public about humpbacks and other marine mammals in the region.
The breaching video is a reminder both of the awe-inspiring presence of these animals near a major city and of the conservation challenges that come with their increased local abundance.
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