Humpback and Pilot Whales Socialize Offshore!
PC: Naturalist Samantha Murphy
Humpback and Pilot Whales Socialize Offshore!
On January 24th, our 11 AM whale watch had a wild encounter! A juvenile humpback and a group of pilot whales were socializing together offshore from Keāhole Point!
We knew it was going to be a good day on the water after spotting a pod of Hawaiian Spinner dolphins right outside the marina. With word of pilot whales in the area, we tried our luck and headed offshore into the blue. After passing some incredibly active bait balls (always a good sign of life) and sea birds we noticed splashing and spouts up ahead. The spouts were clear indications of whales, but we were admittedly confused about which species we were seeing until we got closer. Our captain believed they were pilot whales, and our naturalist thought they were humpbacks. Turns out, they were both right! A juvenile humpback whale was interacting with a group of short-finned pilot whales!
As we arrived on scene, there appeared to be two male pilot whales with the humpback. As the encounter continued, more and more pilot whales materialized gradually joining in on the action. This kind of multi-species socialization, especially between a toothed whale and a baleen whale, is rare to witness! The interaction was not of a harassing nature, as we watched both species exhibit socializing behaviors. There was pec slapping, rolling, trumpeting, peduncle throwing, and consistent surface activity from the humpback!
At one point, we could hear the humpback’s vocalizations from the boat without our hydrophone in the water! We knew if we could hear it at the surface, it would be even better with the hydrophone active, and we were not disappointed! Our crew and guests listened as the hydrophone picked up both the echolocation and whistles of the pilot whales and the vocals of the humpback. It was mindblowing. A total sensory experience!
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again… the Kona Coast is THE place to be for whale watching! Encounters like these are absolutely special, and a reminder that pelagic species like pilot whales can be found here year-round. While the humpbacks migrate to Hawaii between the months of December & March, we’re always on the lookout for the 12+ species of whales that call Kona’s waters home. What a wild encounter! Mahalo to our guests for joining us on this amazing adventure!
PC: Naturalist Samantha Murphy
PC: Naturalist Samantha Murphy
PC: Naturalist Samantha Murphy
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