New England Aquarium spots rare blue whales nearly 200 miles apart in just 24 hours

Two recent sightings of endangered blue whales nearly 200 miles apart turned what typically occurs once every few years into an event-filled 24 hours.

The New England Aquarium released a statement on what it branded as an "unusual occurrence" while a team scoured the area on surveillance flights.

The first blue whale was observed in the protected Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, located 130 miles southeast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The following day, two additional whales were spotted 15 miles south of Martha's Vineyard.

"Seeing blue whales outside of their Canadian feeding grounds is rare in the Atlantic," said the aquarium's Katherine McKenna, who was part of both flights. "Finding them in two different areas of the ocean just 24 hours apart was a first for us."

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There are only an estimated 400 to 600 individuals remaining in the Western North Atlantic, per the aquarium's Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life. Before this back-to-back encounter, they'd been spotted just twice in New England waters by the aquarium.

One was in the Monument in 2020, while another time was off the Maine coast in 2023. The sighting of one near Martha's Vineyard was the first time the aquarium saw one in southern New England.

Scientists believe these sightings may indicate favorable feeding conditions in New England waters.

"It kind of makes us think that relatively speaking to other places around that this might be an area where blue whales are finding food right now would be my best guess," aquarium scientist Orla O'Brien told WBZ.

While the blue whale sightings stole the show, the surveillance of the Monument uncovered a treasure trove of 300 animals, including endangered sperm and fin whales.

Given that the federal government dialed back protections for the Monument, there's concern that these sightings might become less common.

"Our aerial survey team has seen [blue whales] twice in the Monument, emphasizing the incredible diversity supported by the Monument and why it is so important to protect this special place," said Dr. Jessica Redfern in the press release.

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