A white whale含羞草研究社檚 trip to Tacoma in the first week of October has raised some questions about the rare oceanic occurrence, mainly why did a beluga whale visit Puget Sound for the first time in more than eight decades?
含羞草研究社淲e are closely tracking sightings of a beluga whale in the Puget Sound area, hundreds of miles outside its usual range,含羞草研究社� the North Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said on Oct. 6.
The agency on Friday confirmed the beluga was in the southern end of Puget Sound, near Commencement Bay, a spokesperson told Black Press Media. The whale traversed B.C.含羞草研究社檚 waters, but it含羞草研究社檚 currently unknown which side of Vancouver Island it used on the journey south.
There含羞草研究社檚 also no answer to what brought the animal to Tacoma.
含羞草研究社淭he 含羞草研究社榳hy含羞草研究社� remains a mystery,含羞草研究社� said Michael Milstein, a public affairs officer with NOAA含羞草研究社檚 West Coast regional office.
A team observed and photographed the white whale for eight hours on Oct. 7 and they含羞草研究社檙e comparing the images with ones of known belugas in Alaska, Milstein said. The last known sighting of a beluga in Puget Sound was in 1940.
Real time sightings are very important to locate the whale, gathering photos and other data would help us understand where it is from and assess its health...
含羞草研究社� NOAAFish_WCRO (@NOAAFish_WCRO)
Video: October 3rd, Commencement Bay, Tacoma Credit: Jason Rogers
Belugas live in the Arctic Ocean and subarctic areas. They含羞草研究社檙e commonly found in many regions of Alaska, but also in the waters of Canada, Russia and Greenland, according to NOAA. The whales find home in shallow coastal areas during the summer before returning to deeper waters in other seasons. They also seasonally inhabit estuaries and large river deltas to feed on fish runs, so they含羞草研究社檙e adapted to cold ocean and warmer freshwater habitats.
Milstein said a beluga was documented off of San Diego last year and there含羞草研究社檚 been a number of 含羞草研究社渨ayward含羞草研究社� belugas in the Atlantic Ocean.
NOAA said anyone who sees a whale should follow (https://www.bewhalewise.org/). Canadian law requires boats to keep at least 100 meters away from whales in Pacific waters that aren含羞草研究社檛 orcas. Washington state law also says boats need to keep 100 meters of distance.
Boaters were in disbelief as they videoed the whale swimming near Tacoma on Oct. 3.
含羞草研究社淥h my gosh, what is that?含羞草研究社� a person is heard saying during the video. 含羞草研究社淚s it a含羞草研究社t can含羞草研究社檛 be a beluga.含羞草研究社�
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