Hootie the Humpback Returns to Hawaii
Hootie the humpback. PC: Kelsi Ka’uhane (Naturalist)
Hootie the Humpback Returns to Hawaii
On December 29th, a humpback whale nicknamed “Hootie” was spotted with a new calf off the Kona Coast of Hawaii. We arrived on scene to document this new pair, capturing photos of Hootie’s flukes to assist in the verification of her identity with the help of Happywhale. Happywhale, a whale identification database, encourages the use of citizen science to track humpback whales across the globe via the combination of photo identification and their facial recognition software.
According to Happywhale, “Hootie”, known by scientific ID: GWAK-P226, was first documented in Alaska in the early 2000s, and has since been sighted many times between Kachemak Bay and Prince William Sound. While she has been known to travel to the waters off Maui come winter, this is her first confirmed sighting off the Big Island of Hawaii and the first confirmation of her new calf!
Babies abound in Hawaii’s waters, with more calves appearing each week as humpback whale mothers return to give birth. It is an exciting time of the year for whale watchers and researchers alike, as it presents an opportunity to learn more about this species. Coupling on-the-water observations with photo-identification allows for non-invasive documentation of the lives of these whales. Hawaiian Adventures’ Naturalist Kelsi Ka’uhane did just this when she submitted photos of “Hootie” to Happywhale.
With exciting sightings like “Hootie” and her calf, we want to remind everyone of the importance of being whale aware on the water. Thousands of humpbacks return to Hawaiian waters each winter to give birth and nurse their young. To help ensure the safe upbringing of these calves, be cautious while boating and slow down when in proximity of whales.
“Humpback calves tend to surface more often than their mothers, and can be harder to see, making it incredibly important to be alert and conscientious when boating along Hawaii’s coastlines at this time of the year,” said Sam Murphy, Naturalist with Hawaiian Adventures.
Keep an eye out for the whale warning flag, a signal to boaters that whales are in the area. Hawaiian Adventures will continue to fly the whale warning flag this winter, and hopes that others will adopt this practice too.
Identification image from Happywhale
Hootie’s calf breaching. Footage by: Kelsi Kauhane
Whale warning flag
Get your whale warning flag at Fisheries Supply, and help us promote whale awareness on the water!
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