The Marine life off the coast of the Hawaiian Islands is a must see on any trip to the islands. The Hawaiian Islands are blessed with an incredible diversity of marine life, in part due to its isolation in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is the largest water mass on earth and in fact covers about 35% of the earth’s surface. It also contains the Mariana Trench, the lowest point on earth. And the Pacific Ocean has a huge range of temperatures from almost freezing near the poles, to upper 80’s near the equator. Mix all that together, throw in a seamount chain with the Hawaiian Islands sitting sitting on the very tip-top and magic occurs.
The favorite marine life in Hawaii has to be the humpback whale (na kohola). These large mammals call Hawaii home in the winter months. In the summer these giants are feeding in the cold waters around Alaska. Then in the winter months, they migrate to Hawaii where the waters are warmer and have their babies around the sheltered, costal waters of Maui and Molokai, It is a joyous time when the humpback whales return to Hawaii. They can be seen playing, and tending their babies from the shoreline. Some resorts on Maui have a bell the guests can ring when they spot a whale to alert everyone. Several tour boats are available to take you out for a closer look. But the whales are protected and are not to be harassed, so if you are going out without a tour guide, please be respectful and be sure to check local laws.
Dolphins (nai’a) are another mammal that frequents the Hawaiian waters. Just a word here about mahi mahi that is seen on the menu in Hawaii and elsewhere. Mahi mahi is Hawaiian for dolphin fish, not the mammal, so go ahead and enjoy. The Hawaiian spinner dolphins are frequently seen from shore, especially around the Waianae coast on Oahu. A dozen or so other species of dolphins live and play in the waters of Hawaii. The warm sheltered waters by the coasts, the coral reefs for fishing and the deep waters off the island make for a perfect habitat to live, play, and eat for these guys. The dolphins, unlike humpbacks, live and play here year around. The islands have several “swim with the dolphins’ adventures” available both in the wild and at resorts and parks. If you swim with the dolphins in the wild, be advised that you need to stay at least 50 yards away from the mammals.
The Hawaiian Monk seal is a critically endangered species and they live exclusively in Hawaii. If you get to see these seals in the wild you are very lucky indeed. The seals usually stay north of the main Hawaiian Islands on the atolls and uninhabited small islands, although they have been seen on all the Hawaiian beaches. Their Hawaiian name is: Ilio-holo-ikauaua, which means “dog that runs on rough waters”. Tropical seals like the Hawaiian Monk seal are becoming rare world wide. Part of the reason the Hawaiian Monk seal is critically endangered is because of the proximity of the pups to humans. The mothers come on shore to have their pups and nurse them. The mom’s do not leave the pups even to eat for the first 6 weeks. If, however, humans get to close to the pup, the mother may abandon the baby for the sea and the pup will starve to death. It is illegal for people to come within 100 yards of a seal on the beach to protect pups. Even if you don’t see a pup, you must stay away.
Hawaii is home to several varieties of sea turtles, three of which a native to the islands. The Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle (Honu) is making a slow comeback. These turtles live 80 or more years, and don’t reach sexual maturity until they are about 25. They were just about extinct, but due to conservation efforts they are on the rebound. The Hawaiian green sea turtle lays her eggs almost exclusively on French Frigate Shoals which is part of the National Wildlife Refuge. This has seriously helped the turtles make a come back. The eggs incubate for about 60 days and then the babies make their way to the ocean, not to be seen again for several years. The Hawaiian green sea turtle likes to feed in the shallow waters around the atolls and islands. They also seem to like fairly turbulent water to feed in and of course, they like a great snooze in the sun on the beach too. If you see one of the turtles, consider your self lucky, and be sure to give them the space they deserve.
Of course, no article on the marine life of Hawaii would be complete without mentioning the little State fish that carries a big name. The humuhumunukunukuapua'a which means “trigger fish with a blunt snout like a pig.” These pretty little fish are not the most colorful of the tropical species, but beautiful none the less. Of course they swim with lots of other colorful reef fish around the islands. There are plenty of opportunities to snorkel and scuba dive in the islands. Another overlooked part of marine life are the coral that you will see as you scuba or snorkel. These are alive and can be damaged if you step on them or killed if you try to take a piece of them. Please be respectful of these living creatures. Not only will the coral be killed, but also the species of fish and crustaceans that depend of them for their survival.
