More than 649 volunteers gathered data from the shores of Hawaii, Oahu and Kauai islands during the second event of the 2018 Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Ocean Count.
Volunteers collected data from 44 sites statewide Feb. 24. Weather conditions were unfavorable for viewing whales due to poor visibility, including sites on Hawaii Island.
Ocean Count promotes public awareness about humpback whales, the sanctuary and shore-based whale watching opportunities. The sanctuary conducts Ocean Count three times each year during peak whale season. Participants tally humpback whale sightings and document the animals’ surface behavior during the survey, which provides a snapshot of humpback whales activity from the shoreline.
Preliminary data detailing whale sightings by site location are available at www.sanctuaryoceancount.org/resources.
Additional information is available on the sanctuary’s website at http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov.