Wrong place, wrong time: Trio of Arctic Beluga Whales seen off coasts of New York, Rhode Island and Connecticut

© Wikimedia Commons/Steve Snodgrass
Three beluga whales have repeatedly been spotted off the coast of the northeast U.S., in areas that are much further south than the Arctic waters they typically inhabit.

    

In a rare series of sightings, three beluga whales have been spotted repeatedly off the coasts of New York, Rhode Island and Connecticut in the past few weeks. The group was seen hanging around the area as recently as Friday when the town of New Hempstead, New York, posted a video to Facebook that shows the whales swimming near a boat.

Scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the whales may have wandered down from the St. Lawrence Estuary in Canada, which is 940 miles away, where one was first spotted two years ago. If the whales were to turn around today, it could take them as long as two months to swim back, NOAA biologist Jamison Smith told Rhode Island Public Radio.

But the group seems to be headed even further southeast and Smith said their inquisitive nature may take them further still. The group was first spotted May 10 and has been observed in both Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island and Long Island Sound between New York and Connecticut. Beluga whales typically stick to colder waters but this group may be following a source of food on their long journey, WABC-TV, New York, reports.

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© NOAA
Beluga whales typically stick to Arctic waters. A beluga's body is covered in blubber that accounts for up to 40 percent of its body mass to help it survive frigid waters.

    

Experts believe the trio is made up of three young males because they are all shorter than 8 feet in length. Adult whales typically measure 13-20 feet, Clapway reported.

Scientists from NOAA are monitoring the group as it travels. The Animal Rescue Program at Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut has asked boaters who are out in the area during the Memorial Day weekend to stay 150 feet away from the animals and turn off propellers if they are spotted nearby.