Editor's Note: The above photo is a file image. Scroll down to see the picture near the Statue of Liberty.
A photo taken by Bjoern Kils, a photojournalist and captain of New York Media Boat, captured this incredible moment (below) of a humpback whale surfacing in front of the Statue of Liberty on Tuesday.
Yes, it’s real -- and it’s not as uncommon as you might think.
Experts at the nonprofit Gotham Whale started tracking whale sightings in the area in 2011 – counting just five. Last year, they spotted an incredible 272, according to Patch.com.
Recent whale sightings in the waters surrounding New York City have increased in staggering numbers, as vastly cleaner waters have caused a 540 percent increase over eight years.
The rise is monumental and points to the success of environmental policies such as the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Gotham Whale's founder, Paul Sieswerda, said in an interview with Patch.com.
According to Gotham Whale, there are now humpback whales in New York waters year round. The cleaner water also now sees numerous bottlenose dolphins and harbor seals.
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