#whale hawaii

With the return of humpback whales to Hawaiʻi waters, including some early reports of multiple mother/calf pairs, ocean users are reminded to keep a safe and legal distance and mariners are asked to reduce their speed.

On Maui, the Great Whale Count by Pacific Whale Foundation was only able to report from one of 12 designated sites due to ongoing heavy rain. The single Great Whale Count site on Maui was able to report 41 whales. A total of nine whales were observed during the 10-10:15 a.m. time period, the most of any time period throughout the day’s count.

NOAA’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary has reopened its Sanctuary Visitor Center in Kīhei with a new design and new interactive exhibits. Over the past five years, the sanctuary has worked on a full redesign of the visitor center, highlighting whale biology, research, disentanglement and the importance of the sanctuary.

November marks the traditional start of the 2022-2023 whale season at the sanctuary. Humpback whales are generally seen in Hawai‘i from November into May each year, with the peak season running from January through March, according to the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

Humpback whales may one day avoid Hawaiian waters due to climate change and rising greenhouse gasses, according the findings of a new paper published in Frontiers in Marine Science by a team of researchers including three University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa graduate students.

Here’s some whale trivia about the wintering whales that come to Hawaiʻi each year to breed, give birth, and nurse their young.

Here’s some interesting whale trivia about the wintering whales that come to Hawaiʻi each year to breed, give birth, and nurse their young.

If you see an injured or entangled marine mammal, keep a safe and legal distance, and call NOAA’s 24/7 Marine Wildlife Hotline at 888-256-9840 or hail the US Coast Guard on VHF channel 16 immediately.

While some whales have already arrived, the majority will be in Hawai‘i between January and March. Iconic humpback whales in Hawai‘i are protected by state and federal agencies. Approaching humpback whales when on or in the water within 100 yards or within 1,000 feet by air (including drones) can impact the animals and is illegal.

An “abundance of mother/calf pairs” have been observed in and around Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, prompting a reminder to ocean users to proceed with caution.

A total of 168 whale sightings were seen during the 8:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. time period, the most of any time period throughout the day’s count.

Approaching humpback whales when on or in the water within 100 yards or within 1,000 feet by air is illegal.

The whale season in Hawaiʻi is now in full swing with the majority of migrating humpbacks expected to visit Hawaiian waters between January and March.

Hundreds of humpback whale sightings were reported during the 2017 Great Whale Count on Maui over the weekend, conducted by the Pacific Whale Foundation.

The public is reminded that it is illegal to approach a humpback whale closer than 100 yards by sea and 1,000 feet by air.

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary will hold a public advisory council meeting in Honolulu on Tuesday, Jan. 26, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The first humpback whale of the season was spotted by researchers aboard the NOAA ship Hiʻialakai off of Niʻihau last week, marking an early start to the whale season in Hawaiʻi. The sighting was reported on Tuesday, Sept. 29, as the crew traveled home from a mission at the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary reports that the close of the 2015 whale season marks 13 years of whale rescue operations by the Hawaiian Islands Disentanglement Network. Since its inception in 2002, the network has freed 22 large whales from life threatening entanglements, and removed more than 9,500 feet of large gauge line from the entangled whales.

Friday, June 19, 2015 is the deadline for public comment on a proposal to expand the size and focus of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary to include multiple marine species.

The count was the final of three conducted for the year during peak whale season. The Sanctuary Ocean Count is held each year on the last Saturday of January, February, and March.