SANDWICH, MASS. (WHDH) – Dozens of whales were spotted swimming off the coast of Cape Cod Tuesday afternoon.
SKY7-HD flew above the pod of North Atlantic right whales returning to Cape Cod Bay. The whales are migrating from Florida, the Mid-Atlantic, Maine, and Canada in order to feed.
“It’s a spring plankton bloom that happens every year and they know how to find it and show up here, so it’s pretty cool,” said Amy Knowlton, senior scientist at the New England Aquarium.
Eagle whale watchers grabbed their binoculars and cameras to take in the site.
“It happens around this time of year. I remember it happened on a couple of Patriots Days so we’re right in that ballpark,” said whale watcher Beth Fogelgren.
Spotting so many North Atlantic right whales in one place is considered remarkable because they’re considered “critically endangered.” Scientists say there are only 370 of them in the world.
“On Sagamore, Scusset Beach, probably at least three dozen whales playing and splashing, lot of water spouts, hitting in the water,” said whale watcher Matt Lank.
The whales are 50 to 55 feet long. The Massachusetts Environmental Police, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps, and Mass. Division of Marine Fisheries keep close track of their paths.
“To advise mariners when there’s aggregations like that to just to remind them there is a speed limit of 10 mph in the area, to avoid the potential of ship strikes,” said Bob Glenn, deputy director of the Mass. Division of Marine Fisheries.
Research groups collect information about the right whales by the marking on the tops of their heads, in hopes of keeping them safe and protected for many more visits to come.
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