#Humpback Whales

On the islands of Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Molokaʻi and Hawai‘i, volunteers collected data from 30 sites.

Hawaiian Adventures Kona were surprised to encounter their first humpback whale of the upcoming humpback season on Saturday.

Humpbacks have one of the longest mammal migrations on the planet.

In 2023, the first sighting reported to the nonprofit was Oct. 25.

Thousands of humpback whales migrate to the Hawaiian Islands every winter to mate, give birth and raise their young.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is urging vessel operators to slow down and enjoy marine wildlife from afar.

With more whales in the water, that means more chances to spot them while they’re here, especially during the peak humpback season from January through March.

On the last Saturday of January, February and March each year, during the peak of whale season in Hawaiʻi, hundreds of volunteers head to shorelines throughout the state, including the Big Island, to count and observe the marine mammals that migrated 3,000 miles to mate, calve and nurse their young.

A grand total of 2,141 whales were counted throughout the main Hawaiian Islands. This number may represent duplicate sightings of the same whale by different observers or at different time periods or different locations throughout the day.

Thousands of humpback whales seasonally use the waters around the Hawaiian Islands as their principal breeding and calving wintering grounds.

Volunteers must register in advance, and participation is limited for each Sanctuary Ocean Count site.

Two key best practices are for vessel operators to keep a sharp eye out for Koholā and reduce vessel speeds, as both have been shown to reduce the risk of hitting a whale, especially calves, which are particularly susceptible to vessel strikes.

A study recently published in Frontiers has unveiled an interesting facet about humpback whales: they venture far beyond their traditional breeding grounds, traveling to the deep tropical oceans during the winter months.

In our recent Big Island 30-second poll, we asked: What would you do if you see people swimming/snorkeling too close to whales or dolphins? We got 1,070 votes. What response came out on top?

This week, “Dolphin Dave” will appear in Kona District Court this week for a hearing regarding a criminal citation for harassing wildlife.

Maui volunteers spotted the most humpback whales on Feb. 25 with 596, followed by O’ahu with 232, the Big Island with 105 and 64 for Kaua’i.

When a report of a tangled whale in Hawaiʻi comes in, a specialized, highly-trained group led by federal and state workers head out on a search and rescue mission.

For Children to Flourish is a nonprofit organization that provides free ocean adventures for local children, families and those working for and with the next generation.

Humpback whales have returned to Big Island waters a little earlier than usual this season.

Students on the Big Island can pick up free ocean learning kits on Oct. 1 at sites sponsored by the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.