PROVINCETOWN - Scientists spotted the first two North Atlantic right whales of the 2024-2025 field season in Cape Cod Bay on Monday, and one of the critically endangered mammals was doing something unusual.
One 4-year-old male was seen on an aerial survey seven miles west of Wellfleet, and a 3-year-old male that visits the Bay every year was found less than a mile east of Pilgrim Beach in Plymouth.
The 3-year-old was seen "skim feeding," which means eating zooplankton that's near the surface of the water. The Center for Coastal Studies says that behavior is usually not seen this early in the season.
"It is normal to have right whales popping in and out of the Bay throughout the year; however, it is surprising to see skim feeding in the fall," researcher Christy Hudak said in a statement.
Why was the 3-year-old whale skim feeding so early? The center said it may be because plankton samples in the area contain some of the whales' favorite microscopic crustaceans right now, including the oil-rich Calanus finmarchicus.
"Although Calanus was not the dominant species in the sample, its presence in higher numbers is unusual for this time of year and it will be exciting to see if the food resource this year will prove a banner season for right whales in Cape Cod Bay," Hudak said.
There are 372 North Atlantic right whales left in the world, according to the latest estimate released in October. That's a slight increase from previous years, but the species is still considered to be critically endangered.
Almost half the entire right whale population was observed in Cape Cod Bay last year, the Center for Coastal Studies said. The center is warning boaters in the area to be careful, as seasonal protections for the whales are not yet in place and boat strikes are a leading cause of whale deaths.
Researchers on Monday's survey also recorded an unusual sighting of seven Risso's dolphins. This species of dolphins are more commonly found in the deep ocean and not the relatively shallow waters of Cape Cod Bay.
"We were happy to see all of those animals free-swimming, as they are known to strand when found in Cape Cod Bay," researcher Ryan Scholsberg said.