Cascadia Research Collective Hawaii OASIS project whale and dolphin sightings

Original provider:
Cascadia Research Collective

Dataset credits:
Robin W. Baird and Annette Harnish, Cascadia Research Collective

Abstract:
Eighteen species of odontocetes have been documented in Hawaiian waters. Prior to 2000, most research focused on spinner dolphins. Since February 2000, we have been undertaking research on cetaceans in Hawaiian waters (under the authorization of National Marine Fisheries Service permits), focusing on the less well-studied species of odontocetes,
examining stock structure, site fidelity, population size, behavior and ecology.

This research is being coordinated by Dr. Robin Baird, but involves collaborations with researchers from the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska SeaLife Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution, Portland State University, and Hawai'i Pacific University.

Primary funding for this work has come from the U.S. Navy, National
Marine Fisheries Service and the Wild Whale Research Foundation.

These studies have covered areas around all the main Hawaiian islands, from the island of Hawai'i in the east to Kaua'i and Ni'ihau in the west, and focus on a number of species, including false killer whales, bottlenose dolphins, short-finned pilot whales, rough-toothed dolphins, melon-headed whales, pygmy killer whales, pan-tropical spotted dolphins,
Blainville's beaked whales, and Cuvier's beaked whales. More information on this research is available online at www.cascadiaresearch.org/hawaii.