A humpback whale named Rio has moved roughly 60 miles inland from San Francisco Bay and is being monitored in the Sacramento River Delta. The whale was initially seen in the bay Tuesday before later appearing near Rio Vista and entering the Sacramento River.
The United States Coast Guard spotted Rio on Wednesday. One witness told ABC10 that the whale surfaced near the Rio Vista Bridge, about a block from Rio Vista City Hall.
The Marine Mammal Center said Rio is familiar to researchers and has been recorded 15 times in waters between California and Mexico during the past 24 years. Images provided by the Cascadia Research Collective were used to confirm the whale's identity.
Experts said the animal's movement into the Delta could be connected to illness, an injury or poor navigation. Kathi George of the Marine Mammal Center said the organization is continuing to watch Rio and urged people not to interfere with the whale's path while it remains in the Delta.
Further details about Rio's condition were not provided.
