The Number of Humpback Whales Coming to Hawai‘i From Alaska is Dropping
The sight of humpback whales and new calves are a thrilling part of Hawai‘i’s winter season.
photo: j. moore/hihwnms/noaa permit #15240
In the past few years, the number of whales making their way from Alaska to Hawai‘i has been dropping. According to a National Marine Sanctuaries article, by 2017, whale watchers saw more than 50 percent fewer mom-and-baby pairs than 2014. Researchers are not quite sure why, but they will be looking at the data from the Sanctuary Ocean Count carefully. The last Saturday of January, February and March, volunteers will line up along 62 coasts on O‘ahu, Kaua‘i and the Big Island to count whales.
SEE ALSO: 18 Really Interesting Facts You Didn’t Know About Humpback Whales
Register to help at hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov.
