At least two dozen North Atlantic right whales have been spotted off the coast of town as their annual feeding season begins in the Northeast, said a Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies scientist on Friday, March 12.
Aerial surveys and boat sightings by the center's research and monitoring teams have indicated that the rare mammals have traveled in and out of Cape Cod Bay, a critical habitat. The whales have so far not "anchored in the inner bay," said Charles "Stormy" Mayo, who directs a right whale habitat study for the center.
The Coastal Studies' aerial survey team had seen three right whales yesterday off Race Point Beach in Provincetown by noon, said survey director Ruth Leeney.
"They're definitely here," Mayo said Friday. "The last information we've received from aerial surveys and vessels is that they're north of Provincetown. But I expect they'll be coming back in. We usually see them early. We did see them as early as January this year."