Boston Channel - Humpback Whale Living In Salem Harbor



		Report: Big Dig Riddled With Leaks Boss Arrested After Employees Report Spankings Former Mob Boss Headed Back To Court Officials Debate Fate Of Natick Army Lab Judge Lets Driver Keep License Despite 4th Drunken Driving Arrest Former Mob Boss Facing Charges In 1993 Killing Man Acquitted In Slaying Of Toddler Attorney Charged With Bilking Elderly Clients N.Y. Students Honor Bet, Don Red Sox Gear Local Families Pray For Sons In Harm's Way Mountain Lion Spotted In Boston-Area Town

Humpback Whale Living In Salem Harbor

Juvenile Whale Seems To Be Doing Fine

SALEM, Mass., Updated 6:59 p.m. EST December 5, 2000 -- A young humpback whale is hanging out in Salem Harbor, and it doesn't want to leave.


	Watch Amalia Barreda's Report Whale Sightings For updated information on the humback whale, go to the Whale Center's tracking page.

NewsCenter 5's Amalia Barreda reports that the young whale is apparently finding enough food in the harbor for it to want to leave.

While the humpback is an endangered species, experts are not too concerned about this one, because it does not appear to be in distress. Humpbacks do not really travel in pods. They hang out with their mothers for about a year before striking out on their own.

At 30 feet, the one in Salem Harbor is too young to participate in the mating season in the Caribbean, but too old to continue staying with its mother.

"We've never had a whale come into the inner harbor before, even a small one like this," Salem harbormaster Peter Gifford said.

The unexpected presence of the whale is prompting a daily reporting of whale sightings.

"You don't see him that often, and I just hope it does not beach itself," Judy McGinnes of Salem said.

Some of the people watching the whale the most are the people at Salem Whale Watch.

"When we do our whale watches, we've been noticing him coming in off the coast line from Lynn all the way up to Danvers, and it seems like he's kind of disoriented and lost," David Malloy of Whale Watch said. "But he has plenty of food, and he seems pretty happy in here."

Boating season is over, but Molloy and other whale experts are cautioning against the curious getting too close.

"When boats get too close to the whales, they tend to get nervous, and when they get nervous, it alters the behavior," Malloy said.

The whale has been spotted in Boston Harbor and off the docks at Georges Island. Experts said that he might decide to hang out all winter long, if there's enough food.