Researchers spotted blue whales off the coast of New England last week, a rare appearance in the area by the endangered species.
The first sighting by the New England Aquarium’s aerial survey team was near the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument on Feb 27. Two other blue whales were spotted on Feb. 28 about 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard.
This is the first time Aquarium researchers have reported a blue whale in a southern New England survey.
“Seeing blue whales outside of their Canadian feeding grounds is rare in the Atlantic,” said Associate Scientist Katherine McKenna, who was aboard both survey flights. “Finding them in two different areas of the ocean just 24 hours apart was a first for us.”
New England AquariumNew England Aquarium
A map of the recent blue whale sightings.
Blue whales are an endangered species and researchers say there is little information about the western North Atlantic population, though it is estimated to be only between 400 to 600 whales. Their summer feeding grounds are in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Canada, and sightings outside that area are unusual.
The Aquarium has reported just two other sightings in New England waters – one near the Seamounts Monument in 2020 and one off the coast of Maine in fall 2023. Other research teams have reported sporadic sightings as well.
“Encountering blue whales spread out across the waters off southern New England likely means that oceanographic conditions are ripe for them to find food,” said Research Scientist Orla O’Brien, who sighted the whales during the Feb. 28 flight. “Blue whales can range over huge swaths of the ocean unseen by scientists, so each sighting gives us an important glimpse into their winter and spring movements.”