Register Now to Count Whales at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

<HVNP Press Release> Hawai‘i National Park, HI – Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park encourages
volunteers to help count humpback whales during the annual Sanctuary Ocean
Count held the last Saturday of January, February and March (Jan. 28, Feb.
25, and Mar. 31) from 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Hawaii Volcanoes’ Ka‘ena Point, at the end of Chain of Craters Road, is one
of 22 Sanctuary Ocean Count sites island-wide where volunteers onshore
monitor humpbacks in nearshore waters for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback
Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Residents and visitors enjoy this yearly
event which provides important population and distribution information
about humpback whales around the Hawaiian Islands.

“This is an ideal opportunity for the community and for Hawai‘i Volcanoes
National Park to work together as stewards of our ocean,” said Park Ranger
Adrian Boone, site leader for the Sanctuary Ocean Count. “These magnificent
creatures swim more than 2,000 miles to Hawai‘i from Arctic waters every
winter, and the annual count is one way we can help observe and record
their behavior, and ensure their future,” he said.

Volunteers can sign up on the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National
Marine Sanctuary website:
http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/involved/ocvolunteer.html or call
1-888-55-WHALE ext. 253.

Photo Caption: Humpback whales in Hawai'i
Photo Credit: Benjamin L. Richards/NOAA

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park News Release
Release Date:  Jan. 20, 2012

Contact: Jessica Ferracane/Public Affairs, Jessica_ferracane@nps.gov ,
808-985-6018