When news spread of a baby humpback whale stranded in the waters off Oahu this month, Honolulu residents shuddered. A growing crowd watched from shore as scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tried to save it.
When we learned later that day the whale calf died, we mourned.
About 10,000 humpback whales, or kohola, visit Hawaii waters every winter, generally between November and May, swimming down from the colder seas of Alaska to mate, calve and nurse their young.
Here in Hawaii we get to witness this marvel — either from shore or on the ocean. We even have an industry centered on whales: Whale-watching companies contribute about $11 million in state tax revenues per year.
The annual return of humpback whales is a reminder that we need to share the waters responsibly with these beautiful creatures and give them the respect they deserve if we want them to continue to thrive here.
The humpback whale — an endangered species — is protected by three federal laws: the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act and the National Marine Sanctuaries Act.
Though their numbers have been increasing, the dangers they continue to encounter include entanglement in fishing gear, collisions with boats, ingestion of marine debris (which blocks the digestive tract), acoustic disturbance and water quality.
Where does marine debris come from? Litter left behind by beachgoers, including cigarettes and plastic toys, sewage overflows, and fishing lines and nets dumped from boats.
All boats must maintain a 100-yard distance, from whales and aircraft must maintain a 1,000-foot distance. While on the water, it is unacceptable to approach a whale head-on, cut across a whale’s path, surround a whale or go between a mother and calf.
On a whale cruise on Maui several years ago, I remember the awe and wonder of witnessing a whale swim beneath our boat (which it had approached after we stopped).
We held our breath as the hulk of this magnificent cetacean explored the waters below and hung out for a while. We were also thankful it did not surface and strike our vessel.
Humpback whales are admired not only for their acrobatic displays in the water, but for their underwater songs — sequences of sounds that are repeated in a pattern.
We don’t yet know what they are saying to one another, but scientists continue to research these whale songs, which are believed to have a distinct purpose.
Though we won’t know the cause of the baby whale’s death for a few months after a necropsy is performed — preliminary findings indicate some sort of respiratory infection — we still mourn the loss of a whale so young.
If you’re interested in learning more about humpback whales, the sanctuary has openings for volunteers to help monitor and count them from the shores of Oahu, Kauai and Hawaii island.
The counts are held on the last Saturday of every month, and will continue Feb. 23 and March 30.
