“Breach! Blow! Slap!”
Volunteers spot humpback whales this morning at Pu`ukohola Heiau National Historic Site.
Today over 40 volunteers gathered near Pu`ukohola Heiau, “the temple on the hill of the whale”, for the 1st NOAA “Ocean Count of 2012. Volunteers from across the Big Island of Hawaii, the U.S. Mainland and Canada watched for humpback whales in the turquoise waters along the Kohala Coast. In addition to counting the individual whales, the volunteers also identified the various “showy” behaviors of these giants of the sea, such as breaches (when the whale comes completely out of the water), blows (when the whales come up to breathe), and slaps (when the whales slap with their pectoral fins or flukes).
These NOAA sponsored events help provide population estimates of Hawaii’s humpback whales while also giving community members the opportunity to learn more about these amazing creatures. Pu`ukohola Heiau National Historic Site is one of 60 sites on the Big Island, O`ahu and Kaua`i that take part in this event. Current estimates show that approximately 12,000 humpback whales come to Hawaii during the winter months. For more information, visit the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.
...What better way to spend a Saturday in January!
