An abundance of mother humpback whales and their calves is here.
While that is welcome news, according to Ed Lyman, natural resource specialist for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, it also means boaters need to be extra vigilant to avoid collisions with marine animals in island waters.
Wildlife officials once again are urging boaters, for both their own safety as well as that of the whales, to slow down and drive with caution in sanctuary waters during the peak of humpback whale season in Hawaii.
“Right now we’re within the three whale-dense months,” said Lyman, “and there are a lot of whales out there — a lot of mothers and calves.”
As a matter of fact, a calf was just reportedly struck by a boat off of Maui early Saturday morning, according to Lyman. It was self-reported as an accidental, surprise encounter, he said.
An interagency crew, including him, responded and searched for the injured calf because blood was seen in the water, but the crew was unable to locate it.
Lyman said so far this season, there have been four reported vessel collisions with humpback whales, compared with two during the same time period last season. These, however, are only the ones that have been reported.
Since 1979, he said, there have been 147 confirmed and reported collisions between whales and vessels.
Marine sanctuary officials say striking a whale at any speed on the water could prove disastrous for both humans and the whale. This is because an adult humpback whale can weigh around 45 tons, and striking one — even at slow speed — would be like striking a slow-moving freight train with a car.
Lyman said the same day as the previous incident, there was a report of a humpback whale hitting a boat on its starboard side with a flipper, which resulted in one of its crew members falling overboard. Fortunately, that person was rescued, but the situation could have been much worse.
Wildlife officials, meanwhile, are mourning the likely loss of a female humpback identified by her tail fluke as “Moon” due to blunt force injuries consistent with a vessel strike.
In December, officials spotted Moon with her injuries about a half-mile off the coast of Olawalu, Maui, within sanctuary waters.
The Pacific Whale Foundation assessed the injured whale and thinks she was likely struck by a vessel. Due to severe spinal trauma, she had lost her ability to swim using her tail but amazingly, had managed her journey and continued traveling with just her pectoral flippers.
Lyman said researchers in British Columbia knew Moon well and had seen her with the same injury and crooked tail there in September.
She was observed three times in Hawaii in early December, to his knowledge, but has not been seen again.
Due to the degree of her injuries and emaciation, officials think this was Moon’s last journey to Hawaii and that she probably will succumb here. It is another reminder of why it is important to respect these beloved whales and coexist with them in the water, Lyman said.
Thousands of humpback whales migrate from Alaska to Hawaii’s warmer waters to mate, calve and nurse their young — from as early as October to as late as May, with peak activity from January to March.
Under state and federal laws, whales are protected from disturbance or injury. In Hawaii waters it is illegal to approach a humpback whale closer than 100 yards by any means by sea or drone, and closer than 1,000 feet by aircraft.
Officials said there is a common misperception that whales have excellent sonar abilities and always avoid boats and people on the water, but that this is not true. Not only do whales regularly surface under, but in front of moving boats, they said, causing potential damage to vessels, occupants and themselves.
“Never assume that a whale can or will avoid you,” said officials in a news release.
Kim Hum, sanctuary superintendent, urged the public to enjoy whales from a distance and to respect “these incredible animals and their natural behaviors.”
“Give them plenty of room to move through the area,” said Hum in a news release. “The last thing anyone wants is an impact or near-impact with a whale, or worse, an overturned boat and someone injured from getting too close.”
WATCH OUT FOR WHALES
Guidelines around humpback whales in sanctuary waters:
>> It is illegal to approach a humpback whale closer than 100 yards by any means by sea or drone and closer than 1,000 feet by aircraft.
>> During whale season, especially in water depths of 600 feet or less, boaters are asked to maintain a speed of 15 knots or less (or minimal planing speed) to minimize the risk of striking a whale. Speed should be reduced to 6 knots or less within 400 yards.
>> Boaters should not cross in front of whales, pursue them from behind or surround whales. Never separate a mother and calf or purposefully place a vessel in the path of an animal. This is called “leapfrogging” and is illegal.
>> If approached by a curious whale, a vessel’s captain should disengage the drive system and drift. When safe to do so and the whale has moved away, slowly reengage and move the vessel away.
>> Sightings of an injured or entangled marine mammal should immediately be reported to NOAA’s marine wildlife hotline at 888-256-9840 or the U.S. Coast Guard via VHF channel 16.
>> Best boating practices around whales are available at dlnr.hawaii.gov/dobor/boating-with-whales.
Source: Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary
