A whale paid a visit to the Statue of Liberty in New York City's harbor on Thursday morning, prompting the Coast Guard to caution vessels in the area.
The whale, thought to be a humpback, was seen several times swimming along the Hudson River, moving north of Liberty Island, off Hell's Kitchen near the Lincoln Tunnel, said the New York Daily News.
Humpback whales are known for leaping from the water and landing with a tremendous splash, according to National Geographic. Scientists aren't sure if that's on purpose, perhaps for cleaning pests from its skin, or whether just for fun.
A video of the whale coming up for air about 8 a.m. was posted by Daniel Gallagher on Instagram, said WNBC-TV.
Fudgey
A video posted by Daniel Gallagher (@dgallagher105) on
Paul Sieswerda, executive director of the advocacy group Gotham Whale, told DNAinfo New York the whale in the video appeared to be a humpback. Gotham Whale keeps track of whale sightings in the area, which has numbered about 100 this year.
"We're so excited to be right in this wave," said Sieswerda. "And contributing to the info that we’re gathering about this phenomenon."
Adult humpback whales can grow up to 62 feet long and weigh an average of 30 tons.
"We don't know where the whale is currently," Coast Guard public affairs specialist Frank Iannazzo-Simmons told the Daily News on Thursday evening. "We are still putting out a broadcast telling boaters that if they see it they should stay clear of it."
National Geographic said humpback whales can be found near coastlines, feeding on krill, plankton, and small fish. The whales migrate from their summer feeding areas near the north and south poles to warmer winter breeding waters closer to the equator.
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