The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary is looking for volunteer counters for the 2002 Ocean Count of endangered humpback whales in Hawaiian waters. Volunteers sought for
isle whale countStar-Bulletin staff
Volunteer site leaders also are sought to supervise data collection activities at shoreline viewing stations this winter.
Anyone interested is asked to call the sanctuary at 1-888-559-4253, or 397-2656 on Oahu.
More information on training to become a site leader also can be obtained from the sanctuary offices.
On Kauai, regular volunteers and volunteer site leaders are asked to attend a free lecture and training session before the ocean count.
On-site instructions will be presented at designated shoreline viewing stations on how to record observations with special sanctuary data sheets.
The count will be held from 8 a.m. to noon over three Saturdays, Jan. 26, Feb. 23 and March 30, on Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island.
A sanctuary researcher will then compile the count results.
Kellie Cheung, Oahu liaison for the sanctuary, said the ocean count "is designed to be fun and educational for volunteers."
She said the numbers "provide a useful 'snapshot' of the humpback's population and distribution patterns in Hawaii."
The huge animals, which weigh an average of 35 to 40 tons, put on spectacular aerial displays and are hard to miss, she said.
But the population was severely reduced in the 20th century by whalers, and humpbacks are listed as endangered.
Ocean count tallies in previous years detected a promising trend that confirms findings of whale scientists, according to Cheung.
"Based on several scientific studies, the humpback population appears to be expanding. However, continued monitoring is needed to detect any downturn in numbers," Cheung said.
Hawaii's sanctuary, one of 13 National Marine Sanctuaries, promotes education and research to protect humpback whales.
The sanctuary is managed by the Department of Land & Natural Resources and National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.