Humpback Whales off Rockaway Beach, NYC
Chapter 1

The archipelago of New York City

Chapter 2

The historic boardwalks of Brooklyn and Queens

Chapter 3

Wilder shores and urban wildlife

Chapter 4

The commute from subway to sand

YOUR GOAL

Master of New York is a beach town

Ch 3 · Wilder shores and urban wildlife
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sonia Rockaway Beach Humpbacks

Right past the Rockaway sand, a giant humpback is splashing in the surf!

Aug 30

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sonia Staten Island's forgotten seaside resorts

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The horseshoe crabs of Plumb Beach

sonia Brooklyn's Plumb Beach hosts an ancient mating ritual of prehistoric horseshoe crabs every spring.

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Whales returning to New York Harbor

sonia Cleaner waters have brought humpback whales and dolphins back to the shores of New York City.

Aug 30

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Concrete Coast Buddies
BETA

sonia Play the Concrete Coast Buddies game to explore NYC's wilder shores and discover the urban wildlife that makes the city a summer beach town.

Aug 30

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Fun Fact

Urban Whales: Over 300 humpback whales were spotted off the coast of New York City in 2019, thanks to cleaner ocean waters.

Aug 30

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Glossary
refuge (noun)
A place that provides shelter or protection from danger or distress. Established in 1972, the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge protects over nine thousand acres of urban coastal habitat.

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Gossip

Would you swim in New York Harbor?

Aug 30

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Quiz

Which of these is a major barrier island and wildlife refuge located in southern Queens and Brooklyn?

Aug 30

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sonia Whales returning to New York Harbor

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Quiz

What amusement park once attracted thousands of wealthy tourists to Staten Island's South Beach in the 1890s?

Aug 30

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sonia Orchard Beach the Bronx Riviera

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Quiz

Which ancient, prehistoric creature spawns by the thousands at Brooklyn's Plumb Beach every spring?

Aug 30

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sonia The horseshoe crabs of Plumb Beach

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Quiz

Which bay was partially filled in with sand to construct Orchard Beach in the Bronx?

Aug 30

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Quiz

Which Staten Island boardwalk is named after a United States president?

Aug 30

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Quiz

What primary food source has attracted humpback whales back to the New York Harbor?

Aug 30

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Quiz

What is the nickname often given to Orchard Beach in the Bronx?

Aug 30

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Quiz

Which organization has tracked the return of humpback whales to New York City's waters?

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