\u201cWe located the whale just offshore of Lockwood Folly Inlet, where baitfish were especially abundant,\u201d the research group wrote. \u201cThe whale appeared to exhibit feeding behavior, circling the area for much of an hour before resuming its westward journey along Holden Beach toward the South Carolina coast.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
A humpback off the NC coast?<\/p>\n
While seeing a humpback whale in October might seem unusual, researchers say it perfectly aligns with the species\u2019 annual migration schedule. During the fall, North Atlantic humpback whales begin their long journey south, leaving their northern feeding grounds to reach winter breeding and calving areas in the West Indies, like the Dominican Republic.<\/p>\n
Humpback whales can be found in all major oceans around the world and move between cold areas and warm tropical breeding grounds. They are mostly solitary whales but often form small groups for feeding, mating and traveling.<\/p>\n
The research group shared other instances when humpback whales were spotted off the NC coast including:<\/p>\n
2021: A humpback followed menhaden fish into the Cape Fear River2025: A humpback was spotted in the Cape Fear Rover during a dolphin survey with students, and stayed for a week<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough migration is underway, humpbacks may still take advantage of concentrated schools of fish along the way, and our Cape Fear waters have been teeming with baitfish this fall,\u201d the group wrote.<\/p>\n
The whale also had barnacles on its dorsal fin. Humpback whales, which can grow between 46 and 56 feet in length and weigh up to 49 short tons, often host barnacles.<\/p>\n
The research group said documenting the humpback whales can provide valuable information about their physical characteristics and support long-term monitoring.<\/p>\n
Distinctive dorsal fin shapes, scars, pigmentation patterns, and attached organisms may provide supplementary information when comparing photographs of individual whales,\u201d they said. \u201cThe pigmentation patterns on the underside of the tail flukes remain one of the primary features used for humpback whale photo-identification.\u201d<\/p>\n
The research group has videos and photos of the whale on its Facebook page<\/a>.<\/p>\n This story was originally published October 25, 2026 at 2:57 PM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Raleigh News & Observer<\/p>\n