Over the last couple of decades, due to high levels of pollution and overfishing, the waters surrounding New York City have become bereft of some of their original marine inhabitants, such as the humpback whale. But it appears that New York City is once again able to see whales from its shores, as vastly cleaner waters have caused a staggering 540 percent increase in the number of the massive mammals in just eight years.
Experts from Gotham Whales, a non-profit organization, started tracking sightings in the area in 2010 – counting just five. Last year, they spotted an awe-inspiring 272, the vast majority being humpbacks. The non-profit says that the recent spike in whale sightings is the result of several successful environmental policies—including the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act—as well as a decrease in pollution in the Hudson River.
