Unexpected creature filmed swimming under NYC's Williamsburg Bridge

New York City was treated to an extraordinary sight on Monday when a whale was spotted swimming in the East River.

The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed the sighting to Gothamist on Tuesday but couldn't definitively identify the species, though it was likely either a humpback or an endangered North Atlantic right whale. 

While humpbacks are more common, a significant number of right whales were seen off Long Island's coast this summer.

Footage captured by Fox News shows the majestic creature spouting water beneath the iconic Williamsburg Bridge at sunset, as onlookers gasped in awe.

Gotham Whale, a local marine life organization, described the event as 'somewhat unusual.' Danielle Brown, the organization's research director, told Fox News Digital.

'It is not clear whether the whale is still in [the New York City] area,' Gotham Whale research director Danielle Brown told Fox News Digital. 'Due to busy holiday travel, it is very possible that the whale was still in the area today but has just not been reported yet.' 

While Brown estimates that dozens of humpback whales are currently swimming off the New York and New Jersey coasts, Gotham Whale has documented a more specific sighting; A mother and calf humpback whale pair were seen in just 30 feet of water near Spring Lake, New Jersey on Sunday. 

'Most calves are weaning and getting ready to separate from their mothers this time of year, so it is a vulnerable time for them,' the organization advised in a Facebook post. 'PLEASE WATCH OUT for this little whale as it learns to feed!'

'Always keep a distance of at least 100 feet from all whales, but give mothers and calves extra space!'

This isn't the first time a whale has been spotted near New York City. In 2020, a humpback whale was seen in the Hudson River. 

Additionally, several dead humpback whales have washed ashore in the area in recent years, including three between December 2022 and February 2023.