Learn & Explore/Species/Marine Mammals
Marine Mammals
Protecting and monitoring Hawaiʻi’s marine mammals through science and conservation.
Marine Mammals
Marine mammals in Hawaiʻi include whales and dolphins (cetaceans) and seals (pinnipeds).
Hawaiian Monk Seal (‘īlioholoikauaua)
Hawaiian Name: ʻīlioholoikauaua means “dog that runs in rough water”.
- Status: Listed as Endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). They are found only in Hawaiʻi.
- Key :They can weigh up to 600 lbs. They spend about a third of their time resting on land (hauling out).
- Main Threats: They are threatened by a deadly disease called Toxoplasmosis (spread by parasites in cat feces), getting tangled in fishing gear, and human harassment.
Hawaiian Monk Seal
Hawaiian name: ‘īlioholoikauaua
Scientific name: Neomonachus schauinsladi
Whales and Dolphins (Cetaceans)
Cetaceans are divided into two types: Toothed Whales (like dolphins and Sperm Whales) which have one blowhole and Baleen Whales (like the Humpback Whale) which use baleen plates to filter food and have two blowholes.
False Killer Whale
Hawaiian name: Ka Palaoa
Scientific name: Pseudorca Crassidens
Sperm Whale
Hawaiian name: Ka Palaoa
Scientific name: Physeter Macrocephalus
Humpback Whale
Hawaiian name: Ka Koholā
Scientific name: Megaptera Novaeangliae
Species
Status
Key facts
Humpback Whale (Koholā)
Protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
They migrate 3,000 miles every year from Alaska to Hawaiʻi to mate, give birth, and nurse. They are known for acrobatic behaviors like breaching.
False Killer Whale
The Main Hawaiian Islands population is listed as Endangered under the ESA.
A large, highly social dolphin. They face threats from fisheries interactions, where they take fish off lines.
Sperm Whale
Listed as Endangered under the ESA.
The largest toothed whale in the world. They have a massive, square head and are known for diving up to 6,561 feet to hunt.
Main Threats: Whales and dolphins are at risk from getting tangled in marine debris (entanglement) and being hit by boats (vessel strikes).
Important Rules: Keeping them Safe
It is illegal to approach, touch, feed, or harass any protected marine animal in Hawaiʻi.
Species
Minimum Viewing Distance (Required by Law)
What to Do
Humpback Whale (Koholā)
100 yards (91 meters) by vessel or while swimming.
It’s the law! Slow down or move away if a whale approaches you.
Hawaiian Monk Seals
50 feet (15 meters).
Stay at least 150 feet away from a mother and pup, and DO NOT go in the water near them. Keep dogs on a leash.
Other Marine Mammals (Dolphins, other whales)
50 yards (45 meters).
Avoid intentionally getting in their path.
To Report an Injured or Entangled Animal
If you see an injured or entangled whale, dolphin, or seal, call the 24-hour NOAA Marine Wildlife Hotline immediately: 1-888-256-9840 (Option 3).