For a week now, a humpback whale has been sighted in NYC's busy Hudson River, reported the New York Times.
Beautiful picture of a Humpback Whale in the Hudson River #nyc #wildlife https://t.co/c9TfsBnvP2
According to the NYT, beginning last Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard has received calls from whale-spotters in New York City.
Although humpback whales have been sighted in the New York and New Jersey area with increased frequency, it's rare for one to travel up the Hudson.
Shipping vessels crowd this waterway, which lines Manhattan and flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The Coast Guard has advised people navigating the river to slow down.
Experts hypothesize that the promise of fish brought the humpback to this unlikely habitat and believe, after examining photos, that the creature is healthy.
In the latest report from the NYT, one woman claimed that this is the second year she's seen a Humpback in the Hudson.
As for New Yorkers, they seem happy about their visitor, who has been spotted multiple places, including near the Statue of Liberty and north of the George Washington Bridge.
"This humpback whale in the Hudson River is giving me a sense of hope," one person tweeted.
This humpback whale in the Hudson River is giving me a sense of hope.
And many are incredulous, which makes sense as it's not considered to be the cleanest waterway on earth. "Maybe we really ARE living in the upside down," one commented.
whales are swimming in the hudson now maybe we really are living in the upside down https://t.co/YUPeTY8Vko
"Just when I thought I've seen it all," this person added, "a whale in the Hudson River."
Just when I thought I've seen it all - a whale in Hudson River @NorthJerseybrk