It's official: Humpback whales have returned to New York City.
According to a report in Popular Science, the whales have returned to the waters of New York Harbor and sightings are frequent enough that tourist vessels are beginning to spring up.
In fact, according to New York City's own whale research and advocacy group, Gotham Whale, more than 152 whales have been spotted in the waters around New York.
"This phenomenon is brand new but it's also fraught with danger," Paul Sieswerda, the founder of Gotham Whale, told AM New York. "They are coming into these areas when there is an increasing number of ships coming into New York Harbor."
Sieswerda believes that the phenomenon is due to higher levels of food in the area because of fishing restrictions that have been put in place.
In November, New Yorkers watched as a humpback whale named "Gotham" made the Hudson River his playground. Sightings were reported to Gotham Whale from Battery Park and the Staten Island Ferry.
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If you are in New York City and you want to see whales, sightings are now frequent enough to warrant tourist charters in the harbor.
Gotham Whale uses American Princess Cruises as a platform for whale research, and cruises are scheduled during the summer on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at noon and 4 p.m.
For those who want to get to know the whales from afar, Gotham Whale has a guide to help get to know the whales of New York City.
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