Dolphins make a splash to the East River: What’s bringing them back?
Dolphins spotted in NYC’s East River
Over the weekend, two dolphins were spotted making a splash in the East River. FOX 5 NY's Arthur Chi'en takes a closer look at how they ended up in New York City.
MANHATTAN - Dolphins have been spotted in the East River over the last few days.
How long have the dolphins been seen in New York City?
What they're saying:
Since Valentine's Day, a pair of dolphins has been seen along Manhattan's Upper East Side along the FDR Drive near 96th Street.
Some experts speculate the dolphins could be a mother and a calf.
Cleaner water and more prey have been drawing wildlife back into our area's waters.
Their movements are being tracked by Gotham Whale, a research, education and advocacy non-profit dedicated to marine mammals.
(Credit: Chris St Lawrence )
While scientifically they're called common dolphins, experts say spotting them in New York City is incredibly uncommon.
"It's especially rare to see common dolphins for sure, let alone in Manhattan. So this is super exciting. It's something that people don't always appreciate," Chris St Lawrence of Gotham Whale said.
The dolphins are healthy and could be feeding on fish that's now known to exist in the East River that was once so polluted, wildlife would have a hard time surviving.
"The waterways around our city are cleaner now than they've been in a century, and we're seeing alot of life coming back to our city shores," St. Lawrence said.
To learn more about Gotham Whale, click here.