We have a cheer today for the Norwalk Hour, which is right in our backyard in Connecticut, for printing an article that urges boaters to use safety around beluga whales since a pod of three juvenile beluga whales entered the Long Island Sound last week. Extremely rare for the Sound, the whales have been spotted repeatedly over the last week, most recently directly south of Stamford in Oyster Bay, Long Island, the article says. Researchers say the whales belong to an endangered Canadian pod of belugas native to the St. Lawrence Estuary.
The article states that if boaters spot the whales they should cut their boat engines immediately, and remain 150 feet away from the animals per the Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act. Friends of Animals would also like to remind people not to attempt to feed the whales as that draws belugas to boats. Furthermore, do know that your refusal to eat fish allows whales and other marine animals and sea birds to seek food without competition from us.
Speaking of marine life, horseshoe crabs have just returned to Connecticut’s shoreline, and it’s atrocious that anglers use them for bait. If you see horseshoe crabs on the shoreline, make sure children don’t stone or disrupt them. And if you see one overturned on the beach, gently flip it over.
Another way to help all marine life this summer is to pick up litter so it doesn’t end up in the Sound or the ocean.
Article exerpt:
NORWALK — A pod of three beluga whales entered the Long Island Sound last week, according to researches at Mystic Aquarium. Extremely rare for the Sound, the whales have been spotted repeatedly over the past week, most recently directly south of Stamford in Oyster Bay, Long Island Monday morning.
The first sighting was on May 10 in Narragansett Bay, according to Allison Tuttle, Senior Director of Veterinary Services at Mystic Aquarium.
“Our research and animal rescue teams have been observing these animals since [the first reported sighting],” Tuttle said.
Tuttle said the whales belong to an endangered Canadian pod of belugas native to the St. Lawrence Estuary, and appear to be juveniles.