In a good bit of conservation news, Canada has banned the captivity and breeding of whales, dolphins and porpoises across the country. The Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act, AKA the “Free Willy” bill, introduced in 2015, was signed into law...
Easter has come and gone, but a flower once thought to be extinct has risen. A member of the hibiscus family, the Hibiscadelphus woodii, had not been spotted since 2009, and in 2016 it was officially added to the extinct species list. However, in February researchers...
Finally some good news for Maui’s coral reefs. After years of declining health, it appears the state may be able to enhance the resiliency of our coral reefs. A recent survey of over 51 sites in Maui’s south (Kihei side) and west (Lahaina side) shores showed the...
In an upcoming article scheduled for release in the journal “Royal Society Open Science” titled “Fluctuating reproductive rates in Hawaii’s humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, reflect recent climate anomalies in the North Pacific”, Rachel Cartwright of California...
Keeping tabs on Hawaii’s humpback whale population is important, particularly so in light of recent reports that they may be on the decline. One group of local researchers responded to this concern by performing aerial surveys of Maui Nui (greater Maui region)...
Over the weekend, a humpback whale was spotted entangled in lines used to catch crab and lobster. The lines wrapped around both the whale’s mouth and tail, while cutting into its body. Trained rescue crews were able to reach the whale, but they were not able to...
