Sea Monsters in Hawai'i?

  If you have ever seen a whale up close, you probably understand how incredible these giant animals of the ocean are.  Whales are among the largest animals that have ever lived on the Earth. 

A long, long time ago people thought whales were sea monsters.  Their massive size inspired many myths.  Later on, as people learned more about them, they lost their fear of whales.  They began to kill them for their oil and meat to the point of endangering the survival of many species.  The whales commonly seen in Hawaii waters today are called "Humpbacks"; one of the whale species that is currently in endangerment of survival..

The common name "Humpback" comes from the way the whale dives; a diving humpback bends its body and enters the water headfirst.  A round hump appears as the whale's back disappears below the surface.

A typical humpback measures about fifty feet long and weighs thirty-five to forty-five tons.  To catch fish, they swim underneath a school of fish and spiral upward, blowing out air bubbles.  These bubbles scare the fish, causing them to swim together in a tight ball.  This is known as bubble feeding.  Along with small fish, they catch tiny shrimp-like animals called krill.  A hungry humpback whale can eat three thousand pounds of krill and small fish a day.

Humpbacks don't have teeth.  Instead, inside their mouth are hundreds of growths called baleen plates.  These plates look like a huge hairy doormat.  Humpbacks eat by swimming through schools of small fish or krill with their mouth open.  They scoop up mouthfuls of water along with the live food.  The whale then shuts its mouth and the fish or krill get tangled in the fibers on the baleen plates.  Then the whale uses its huge tongue to squirt the water out, then the humpback swallows its catch.

Whales are not fish.  They are warm blooded mammals and the females give birth to a single calf after eleven to twelve months of pregnancy.  Mothers nurse their young for about six months with whale milk.  Whale milk has about forty percent fat and the calf grows quickly. Like other large whales, humpbacks take seven years to reach adulthood.

  For its size, a humpback's skin is quite thin - less than a half inch thick.  Beneath the skin is a layer of fat called blubber.  This fat is about two feet thick and gives the whale its round shape.  The fat also protects the whale from hypothermia.  Without it, whales would freeze in the cold water of the arctic and Antarctic oceans.  The blubber also provides a reserve energy supply.  These reserves allow the whale to go through the winter months without eating.

Whales live underwater, but they have to breathe air.  Their nose is  a blowhole on top if their head.  During a dive, thick lips keep the blowhole closed.  At the surface, the blowhole rises out of the water first.  A humpback blows as soon as it surfaces.  A spout of air, water, and mucus shoots out of the blowhole.  Once the old air is out, the whale takes a number of quick breaths then goes underwater again.  Humpbacks usually stay underwater from three to twenty-five minutes on a breath.

When you see a whale its something you never forget

Each summer two to three thousand humpbacks feed in cold arctic seas.  When winter nears they migrate south to Hawaii.  The visit lasts from December to April.  The females give birth to their calves during these three months.  It's also the mating season.  Yahoo!

Whales are more likely to breach when they are with other whales, and we see plenty of humpbacks breaching in the calm waters near Oahu.

Humpbacks travel in family groups.  Young males lead the way, older males follow, with females and calves bringing up the rear.  The various family groups scatter over miles of ocean.  And they stay in contact by singing to each other.  A humpback's song isn't music in the usual sense.  The humpback repeats a series of sounds.  The song can last from six minutes to half and hour.  Sometimes one whale sings alone.  At other times more join in.  They all sing the same song too, but they start singing it at different times.  Humpbacks only sing during the winter months and they change their song every year.  They don't write a new song, however.  Herds add new parts to the old song and all the whales in the herd learn the new music.

The humpbacks flippers are much longer than those of other whales.  Long and thin, they extend a third of its length.  These powerful flippers act as paddles to steer the humpback through the water.  Each flipper contains bones that look like a hand. 

Up and down movements of the tail speed the humpback on its way.  The two halves of the tail are called flukes.  Unlike the flippers, the flukes don't have any bones for support.  They are made up of tough muscle tissue.  A few flips of that powerful tail can send the humpback leaping high out of the water.  That power is important to humpbacks.  If they weren't such good swimmers, they couldn't make the long migrations which are part of their yearly life cycle.
Whales visiting Hawaii are head up north about May.  With unpredictable whale activity, keep your finger on the camera, ready to snap Help to save the whales and work to conserve the environment.  On a grassroots level, do what you can to clean up litter on each outing. 
     

Humpback Whale threats and how you can help

Entanglement in marine debris and fishing gear is a growing problem for marine mammals.  It can hinder diving, swimming, feeding and surfacing activities as well as the overall behavior of the animal.

• Choose reusable items instead of disposables.

• Cut six pack rings before disposing of them as they may become entangled on marine life.

• Properly dispose of your trash, including cigarettes and fishing gear.

• Recycle plastics, bottles, cans and paper at the appropriate locations.

• Get involved in beach or reef clean-up.

• Do not release balloons as they often end up in the ocean and pose a threat to marine life.

The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary has proclaimed February as Humpback Whale Awareness Month!  February is the best month of the year to catch a glimpse of Hawaii's humpbacks, so get involved, and get outside to see these magnificent animals, often referred to as "gentle giants", before they head back to colder waters.

Our heart is set to help to save the whales and work to conserve the environment

For more information about humpback whales visit:
http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov