By MELISSA ROSE COOPER, NJ SPOTLIGHT CORRESPONDENT

Humpback whale sightings are becoming more frequent along the Jersey Shore. In a new study from Rutgers University, there were 101 individual whale sightings off the northern New Jersey and New York City waters.

As of this week, that number rose to 257. Researchers found many of the whales are young, under the age of 5, and they usually stick around for about 38 days. Experts say their continued return is proof efforts to clean up the waters surrounding New Jersey are working.

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