YSR.

Researchers have identified the 500th individual humpback whale documented in waters surrounding New York City and New Jersey, marking a major milestone in a regional tracking effort.

The catalog has been maintained since 2012 by Gotham Whale, a Staten Island-based nonprofit working with whale-watching boats and volunteers across the region. Photographs submitted to the organization allow researchers to identify whales through the unique markings underneath their tail flukes.

Humpback whales have become increasingly common in local waters as cleaner conditions and improved fish populations provide new feeding opportunities. Changes in ocean temperatures have also affected traditional feeding grounds farther north, leading some whales to search for food closer to New York.

Many of the whales remain in the area for weeks or months during the summer as they feed before migrating south for the winter. When the cataloging program began, researchers were identifying approximately 10 to 30 new humpbacks each year, compared to around 80 to 100 annually today.

The growing whale presence has also raised safety concerns because the animals frequently enter busy shipping lanes. Researchers have documented whales carrying injuries and scars linked to boat collisions, while vessel strikes and entanglements in fishing equipment remain major threats for the whales as well.

Gotham Whale officials said the catalog helps researchers understand when and where whales are spending time in the region. The information could eventually help shape new measures aimed at reducing collisions and protecting the growing number of whales visiting local waters.

photo: Shutterstock