HONOLULU (AP) — Officials say humpback whales were spotted in the waters off Niihau and are warning ships and recreational boaters to steer clear of the endangered seasonal visitors. ADVERTISING HONOLULU (AP) — Officials say humpback whales were spotted in
HONOLULU (AP) — Officials say humpback whales were spotted in the waters off Niihau and are warning ships and recreational boaters to steer clear of the endangered seasonal visitors.
Researchers spotted the first whale there about a week ago, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in a news release Tuesday. A second whale was seen days later near Kauai’s Pacific Missile Range Facility.
Humpbacks normally arrive in November and stay through May. NOAA officials said there has been a general trend toward earlier arrivals in the past two decades. About 10,000 humpbacks winter in Hawaii waters each year.
Officials said boats should watch for whales and avoid them. Ship strikes and entanglements can kill whales and injure people on board.
