In a surprising turn of events, an endangered North Atlantic right whale and her calf were observed frolicking off the coast of New York City on February 3. Marine experts spotted the pair roughly 24 km east of Sandy Hook, within the Port of New York and New Jersey waters.

Accordion’s unexpected journey of the whale

The mother, named Accordion, was first identified in 2011 by researchers who noted distinctive propeller scars on her back. According to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, this is Accordion’s first known calf, estimated to be just a few weeks old. With only about 372 North Atlantic right whales remaining, each birth is considered a significant event for the species.

Chris St Lawrence of Gotham Whale, a Brooklyn-based research center, noted that while sightings of North Atlantic right whales are not unusual in the area, the presence of a newborn so far north is “highly uncommon.”

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He told The NY Post, “We don’t know if this baby was born here in the New York Bight or if they traveled up from the south.”

Migration patterns and concerns

Typically, right whales migrate north in the spring after mating in Florida’s warmer waters, with mothers generally staying further south until their calves are older. Despite the unexpected location, researchers have expressed that there’s no immediate concern regarding Accordion’s journey. Mr. St Lawrence stated, “These animals are critically endangered, and so every pair is important, but it’s especially rare to have a pair up here outside of their normal birthing range.”

Threats in the New York Bight

Recent detections from more acoustic buoys in the New York Bight suggest that other right whales may also be present in the area. However, the region’s busy shipping lanes present a significant threat to these endangered animals.

Mr. St Lawrence said “It’s always a sign of hope to see a mother-calf pair of North Atlantic right whales,” while adding that it is exciting to have them in New York waters. “But at the same time, it is a little bit worrying to have them so close to the city and near those busy shipping lanes,” he said.

The North Atlantic right whale: A species in peril

The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered large whale species, facing a long history of hunting and slow recovery despite protective measures in place since the 1930s. Primarily found along North America’s Atlantic coast, the species is threatened by entanglement in fishing gear and collisions with ships. Some scientists suggest the species may have disappeared from the eastern North Atlantic, surviving only off the coasts of the US and Canada.