MEDIA RELEASE
More than 950 volunteers helped gather data Jan. 28 from 61 sites on the shores of Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island for the kickoff of the 2012 Sanctuary Ocean Count.
Hawaiian waters provide critical breeding habitat for approximately two-thirds of the north Pacific stock of humpback whales.
The following are the average numbers of whales sighted per 15-minute count period on each of the islands:
Hawaii Island – 3 whales
Kauai – 8 whales
Oahu – 2 whales
Preliminary data from each island is attached. Scientific studies have shown the humpback whale population in Hawaii is increasing at an annual rate of approximately seven percent.
Over time, data from the Sanctuary Ocean Count can be used to corroborate these findings.
Two more Sanctuary Ocean Counts are scheduled to take place on Saturdays – Feb. 25 and March 31.
For more information on becoming a Sanctuary Ocean Count volunteer, call 1-888-55-WHALE ext. 253 or visit:
www.sanctuaryoceancount.org
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