Late last year, a humpback whale was spotted in an unlikely place. It was swimming near the Statue of Liberty! The whale wasn’t alone. For the first time in a century, the number of whales in the waters near New York City is on the rise.
What’s bringing whales to the area? Thanks to years of protection, New York Harbor has become cleaner. Fish and tiny organisms called plankton are thriving. That’s caused large numbers of whales to return to prey on those organisms.
Scientists are working to protect the whales. They’re using underwater microphones to track the animals so ships can avoid hitting them.