The Humpback whales are just finishing their summer season in Alaska and will soon be returning to their beloved Hawaii. Start looking for them in November.
If you’re on Kauai this summer you may spot Orcas, “killer whales,” for the first time in nine years.
The highly social carnivores are hunters and were seen Sunday trying to kill a dolphin. Their diet varies widely, and Orcas have no known predators. When they were in the islands last they were spotted off the Big Island. Orcas are found worldwide, but in U.S. waters are more typically associated with the colder Pacific Northwest to Alaska. This year, they’ll be joining a population of 18,000 humpback whales soon to commence their 3,000 mile annual journey to Hawaii.
Hawaii’s beloved Humpbacks winter in the islands.
Nearly extinct in the mid 1960′s, the Humpback population has grown with global whaling bans but are still endangered. You can learn more about them and NOAA’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. The sanctuary serves to protect humpback whales and their habitat within Hawaii.
Last year Brian Paul, head golf pro at Kukuiula on Kauai’s South Shore, witnessed a Humpback whale giving birth from the 15th tee. Let us know if you’ve had any memorable whale sightings on your Hawaii vacation.
Photo Credit: NOAA. Each year when I see Humpbacks, I hope to get this type of picture. So far it hasn’t happened. Have you had better luck?
Madeleine Brandli (9 months ago)
In February a mother Humpback whale brought her small calf into the shallow water south of Brenneckeʻs Beach, just beyond the tide pools. She played with it for several hours, gently guiding it repeatedly through an extensive repertoire of behaviors. Tail and pectoral fin slaps, rolls, small breaches and even a tiny nose up – beginnings of spyhopping. I later read that a calf had been born in Whalerʻs Cove that morning. My daughter and I likely witnessed the first day of life for this magnificent creature. Chicken skin!
kris (9 months ago)
We were on our friends’ boat not far off Makena and also witnessed a whale birth. It was AMAZING! The mother took the calf on her front fin, dunking it in and out of the water and in no time that little (?) thing was swimming on it’s own. It actually did sound like a human baby crying too. An experience that we will never forget.
Hanna (9 months ago)
This February we took a wonderful whale watching trip of Maui coast with Pacific Whale Foundation and saw alot of hampback whales.
It was amasing watching them playing- slapping the water doing breaches. We happened to see several males compiting for the female attention and even observe a ” double breach” .
These animals are amasing!
KauaiMark (9 months ago)
“…witnessed a Humpback whale giving birth from the 15th tee.”
I didn’t know they even played golf