WHALE AND DOLPHIN RESEARCH

"There is about as much educational benefit to be gained by studying dolphins in captivity as there would be stydying mankind by only observing prisoners help in solitary confinement." Jacques Cousteau

DOLPHINS:  While nearshore Hawaiian spinner dolphins are known to range in Hawaiian waters year-round, many important details of their occurrence there have yet to be documented. Scientific data is critical and necessary for conservation. In order to best determine how to manage these animals, understanding of their way of life and their needs is needed.

The path of the Wild Dolphin Foundations's spinner study is analogous to Jane Goodall's study of chimpanzees: at first she just saw chimps, then she grew aware of individuals, and finally, through the known individuals, learned about their everyday life.

Among the important questions to be answered include determining the number of dolphins utilizing the coastal habitats, and whether these dolphins are year-round or occasional residents. The Wild Dolphin Foundation hopes to preserve and protect the dolphin’s natural resting grounds through studies of dolphin interaction between pods and vessels. You can also help via beach and possible boat observation, photo and data-collection, in-house data entry, including photo/video editing, and by identifying individual dolphins through photo identification. These tasks are crucial in providing accurate accounts of both the Spinner’s behavior and well being.

WHALES: The warm, shallow waters surrounding the main Hawaiian Islands constitute one of the world's most important humpback whale habitats and the only place in the U.S. where humpback whales reproduce. Scientists estimate that two-thirds of the entire North Pacific humpback whale population migrate to Hawaiian waters for breeding, calving and nursing activities. The continued protection of humpback whales and their habitats is crucial to the long-term recovery of this endangered species. Our goal is to have the study area (Ka'ena Point) be awarded greater State conservation efforts. Interns can participate in both opportunistic vessel (we will not be approaching whales within 100 yards) and shore-based observations.

CORAL: We are involved with annual transects on five beaches on our coast in affiliation with Reef Check. We are also setting up a separate ongoing water quality sampling program for local beaches of concern.