Common Bottlenose Dolphins in the Bronx River
Did you ever think that you’d see dolphins in the Bronx River? Neither did the residents in the neighborhood. The last time there was a dolphin in this river in 2017. What made the dolphins come back after so many years? Probably their hungry bellies. The authorities believe this is a good sign and that their efforts to clear the river are working.
Dolphin Swimming in the Bronx River
On Monday, witnesses spotted two common bottlenose dolphins swimming in the Bronx River. As shocking as it was, this wasn’t the first time dolphins were spotted in the city. The NYC Parks retweeted the video and said, “It’s true—dolphins were spotted in the Bronx River this week! This is great news—it shows that the decades-long effort to restore the river as a healthy habitat is working. We believe these dolphins naturally found their way to the river in search of fish.”
According to the Department of Parks and Recreation, the Bronx River is the only freshwater river in the city and is stocked with plenty of alewives and other fish. This is one of the reasons why we can expect to see more dolphins in the future. While it’s a beautiful sight, people still need to give the dolphins space. We would all love to go up to them and touch them or even feed them, but dolphins are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. It is illegal to feed or harass dolphins throughout the United States.
Two common dolphins were also seen in Newtown Creek on Wednesday, but it’s unclear if they were the same two dolphins from Bronx. The Newtown Creek Alliance posted on their Instagram, stating, “Sightings like this are just another reminder of the need to rid Newtown Creek of historical toxins, oil seeps, sewage overflow, and floatable debris.”
Last summer, there were also dolphin sighting in the Hudson River, following along kayakers. If we want to keep seeing these incredible mammals in our city, we must keep the water clean. Did you get to see the dolphins in the Bronx River or Newtown Creek? What do you think about seeing more dolphins in our rivers?
