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Three Beluga Whales Spotted In New Jersey Shore Rivers

HIGHLANDS, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) — Three young beluga whales have surfaced in two rivers along the New Jersey shore.

They are believed to be the same whales that appeared off Rhode Island on Mother's Day and in Long Island waters over the Memorial Day weekend.

"There were two white things coming up," said Barley Point resident James Caracappa. "I thought they were plastic. Then they started spouting."

The whales spent time in the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers at the northern end of the shore.

Police Chief Scott Paterson said he has lived here is entire life and has never heard of a whale in the river.

Marine Mammal Stranding Center director Bob Schoelkopf tells the Asbury Park Press the rivers can become death traps for whales and dolphins because their headwaters become un-navigable.

Why? Because Beluga whales are cold water mammals who live in the arctic and subarctic and don't belong here, CBS2's Vanessa Murdock reports. Nor do they belong in Long Island waters where the same group of whales were spotted last week.

Schoelkopf hopes the recent heavy rainfall will lower the salinity in the rivers and the whales will return to sea.

Marine Biologist Jennifer Lengares from Jenkinson's Aquarium said the whales getting caught along the Jersey Shore with summer closing in could be their downfall.

"My concern is as summer comes, the water warms, they may overheat and suffer from heat stress," Lengares said. She adds that it's hard for marine animals to get out of rivers once they get in.

So if you're nearby and gazing upon the Shrewsbury or Navesink, it's possible you too might witness the unbelievable -- Beluga whales swimming just off the river bank.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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