Hi Gaby:
Well, I honestly don't know why New Jersey lists blue whales as a local
animal, because they're not. Blue whales are occasionally found in US
waters, and in particular there have been some sightings in the Gulf of
Maine (off Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine). A few of these have
been close to shore, and others have been a long way offshore near the
area called Georges Bank.
I don't know of any confirmed sightings of blue whales in New Jersey
waters. Over a hundred years ago, there was a stranding of a blue whale
at Ocean City, Maryland in October 1891, but there's nothing from NJ.
Blue whales are not regular visitors to US Atlantic waters. They live
further to the north, and you can find them quite commonly off the coast
of Nova Scotia (Canada). There are more further north still, and they
range from Nova Scotia to the Arctic.
In the North Pacific, blues are VERY common off California, where the
population is stimated at around 2000 animals. This is probably the
biggest population in the world right now - blues were hunted almost to
extinction in many places, and most populations are still small and
highly endangered.
Hope this helps!
Phil Clapham
Diane Belok wrote:
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> When and where was the last siting of a Blue Whale in New Jersey
> waters?Why does the NJ Divisin of Fish and Wildlife consider the Blue
> Whale an animal found in NJ? Where they ever more common and if so,
> when? Thank you for your help. Gaby Belok, grade 4
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--Phillip J. Clapham, Ph.D. Large Whale Biology Program Northeast Fisheries Science Center 166 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543, U.S.A.
tel. 508 495-2316 fax 508 495-2066 email: pclapham@whsun1.wh.whoi.edu
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