First whale count goes on despite wet weather
By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Kaua'i Bureau
Hundreds of volunteers on four islands went out whale-spotting Saturday in the first of three counting events organized by the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.
Researchers estimate there are 5,000 humpbacks in the Islands during the winter whale season, with the population increasing about 7 percent annually over the past decade.
During Saturday's count, 685 volunteers counted whales and recorded their behavior at 63 sites on Hawai'i, Kaho'olawe, O'ahu and Kaua'i.
Christine Brammer, the sanctuary's Ocean Count coordinator, said results in the O'ahu count were reduced this year by the stormy weather over the island Saturday morning.
Statewide, the best whale spotting was at Kaho'olawe, where spotters saw an average of 19 whales in any 15-minute period. Kaua'i viewers averaged six, the Big Island three and O'ahu two.
The Ocean Count does not include Maui, since the Pacific Whale Foundation runs a Maui count. Moloka'i has not yet been added to the count, but Brammer said it's on the list to become part of the tally.
The sanctuary does not use its count to come up with a total number of whales; that's done by marine mammal scientists. Instead, the spotters are tracking relative numbers at different locations and kinds of behavior in which the whales are engaging. They list the number of blows, breaches, fluke-up dives and pectoral fin, head or tail slaps.
"This data is useful over time," she said.
Counts are scheduled at the end of January, February and March. When the months are reviewed from year to year, they may show major migration trends through the Hawaiian Island chain during the annual whale season, she said.
The remaining counts this year are scheduled for Feb. 26 and March 26. The Pacific Whale Foundation's Maui count will be Feb. 26. Brammer hopes several years of solid data will be useful for studying trends in the behavior of the animals. The counts are also useful because they remind people about the presence of the mammals near Hawaiian shores, Brammer said.
"I was amazed at the number of people who have lived in Hawai'i all their lives and did not know that they could spot a humpback whale from the side of the road," she said.
Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 245-3074.
