PORT ALLEN — During the 2023 to 2024 humpback whale season (when the whales are in Hawaiian waters from Nov. 1 through May 30), the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration reported seven different entangled humpback whales that elicited 11 on-water response efforts mounted over an extremely busy two-month period.
PORT ALLEN — During the 2023 to 2024 humpback whale season (when the whales are in Hawaiian waters from Nov. 1 through May 30), the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration reported seven different entangled humpback whales that elicited 11 on-water response efforts mounted over an extremely busy two-month period.
The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Sanctuary (HIHWNS) announced that Large Whale Entanglement Response Specialist Maria Harvey will be on Kauai to conduct training sessions related to large whale entanglement responses.
The HIHWNS announces that Harvey will present a public presentation on Oct. 21 from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. at Capt. Andy’s Sailing Adventures located at the Port Allen Marine Center in Eleele.
Harvey will share how large whales in Hawaii are freed from life-threatening entanglements. Tour boat captains, crew members and others who may be interested in helping are invited to attend the free presentation where Harvey will illustrate the strategies used by authorized entanglement responders. She will additionally have stories and tips on ways individuals can help and become involved.
Although the humpback whale season is designated as starting Nov. 1, previous years have recorded “early arrivals” when tour boat captains have reported witnessing humpback whales in October.
During the last humpback whale season, the NOAA received 26 large whale entanglement reports, of which 17 were confirmed, representing multiple sightings of at least seven different whales.
All seven cases involved humpback whales, and five of the entangled animals were sub-adults and two were adult whales. Six of the seven cases represented potentially life-threatening entanglements.
