‘Shouldn’t Exist’: Whale Not Seen in Atlantic Ocean for Over 200 Years Spotted Off Massachusetts Coast

A team of scientists made a discovery that defied all odds after spotting a species of whale in the Atlantic Ocean that went extinct over two centuries ago.

Gray whales are one of the oldest living baleen species in the world, having existed for several million years.

Gray Whales, which can weigh up to 41 tons, once thrived in the Atlantic Ocean before whaling led to the species’ extinction in the region by the 18th century.

The team of researchers captured the “incredible event” in March. According to their report, the gray whale appeared to be feeding as it repeatedly dove beneath the surface of the water before resurfacing.

Orla O’Brien, an associate research scientist who was part of the flight’s crew, explained that they were left in shock after seeing the creature in the Atlantic during an interview with “World News Tonight With David Muir.”

Research Technician Kate Laemmle was also on the plane during the event. During the flight, O’Brien showed the researcher images of the whale, who later spoke on the experience.

Since hunters wiped out gray whales in the Atlantic Ocean by the 1700s, the discovery was “wild and exciting” because most of the existing species live on the Pacific coast.

During the interview, O’Brien discussed the incredible journey the whale must have taken to end up off the coast of Boston.

The researchers identified the whale due to its lack of a dorsal fin and several other key indicators, including its dorsal hup and pronounced ridges.

In 2023, a similar gray whale was spotted swimming off the coast of Florida.

While researchers admit they are uncertain why the whales have returned to the Atlantic, some have suggested that rising global temperatures have played a role in the sightings, noting that less ice in the summer may have forced the whales to migrate.

The Marine Mammal Center believes that the uptick in gray whale sightings in the Atlantic is likely attributable to the ice-free Northwest Passage, leaving an open route between the Pacific and Atlantic for whales to travel.

According to the researchers, the rising global temperatures have allowed the gray whales to migrate even earlier due to the lack of thick ice that previously blocked their route.

While the gray whale sighting is fascinating in its own right, it may help researchers gain insight into how climate change is affecting larger marine life such as whales.

Environmentalists are working to make sure that gray whales can return to the Atlantic Ocean safely. This means working to reduce the number of unusual mortality events that harm marine life.

Regulations have also been put in place to help encourage gray whales to return to the waters. Vertical lines from the ocean’s surface to the lobster traps on the seafloor now have restricted use. Environmentalists and lawmakers are also pushing for a transition to ropeless lobstering gear.

Gray whales were not the only whales in danger in the Atlantic. Humpback whales have suffered major losses over the years. Hundreds of humpbacks have been reported as deceased since 2016.

“Unfortunately, it’s been a period of several years where we have had elevated stranding of large whales, but we are still concerned about this pulse” in deaths that’s now been going on for weeks, as Sarah Wilkin, the coordinator for the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program, said, (via NPR).

The agency declared an unusual mortality rate event, or UME, for the right whale and the humpback whale. UMEs refer to unexpected strandings that involve a significant die-off of any marine mammal population and require an immediate response.

Since early 2019, the NOAA has tracked gray whales on the West Coast and found 303 reported gray whales stranded on beaches stretching from Mexico to Canada.

For years, environmentalists were increasingly concerned over the declining whale populations in the Atlantic, where scientists had documented several species of whales making a recovery.

All three whales have been hunted close to extinction. While the gray and humpback whales are bouncing back in an exciting way, the right whale is struggling to survive.

Clean Ocean Action, a New Jersey-based group, called for ocean wind projects to halt and for the investigation into the potential harm done to the whales as these projects map the ocean floor.

“There are no known connections between any of this offshore wind activity and any whale stranding regardless of species,” Benjamin Laws, deputy chief for the permits and conservation division at NOAA Fisheries, said in a briefing call.