Humpback whale spotted in California's Sacramento River

A humpback whale has made a rare appearance in California’s Sacramento River, approximately 60 miles from its typical Pacific Ocean habitat. The whale, identified by researchers as CRC-11620 and named ‘Rio’, was spotted by fishermen near the Rio Vista Bridge.

The Marine Mammal Center reported that the whale entered the San Francisco Bay earlier in the week before traveling east into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Scientists are monitoring the animal to determine its health and why it traveled so far inland. This specific whale has been documented 15 times over the last 24 years.

Experts from the Marine Mammal Center have advised the public to maintain a respectful distance and avoid any interaction that might attempt to change the whale’s course.