MEDIA RELEASE

In recognition of the 50th State’s official marine mammal, Gov. Neil Abercrombie and Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz have officially proclaimed February 2012 as Humpback Whale Awareness Month in Hawaii.

“The humpback whale represents the diversity of ocean life that surrounds the Hawaiian Islands and reflects the deep connection the people of Hawaii share with the ocean,” Abercrombie said.

February is the best month of the year to catch a glimpse of Hawaii’s humpbacks. Humpback whales represent the diversity of ocean life that surrounds the Hawaiian Islands. Each year humpback whales return to Hawaiian waters to mate, calve and nurse their young.

In 1992, an act of Congress designated the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary to protect humpback whales and their habitat. The sanctuary is jointly managed by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The sanctuary is offering a variety of whale watches, whale counts and other activities statewide throughout February to celebrate Humpback Whale Awareness Month.

— Find out more:
http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov