KUKUI‘ULA — Teachers from Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School, King Kaumuali‘i Elementary School and Kaua‘i Technology Academy had an opportunity to become whale researchers Saturday at the Kukui‘ula Small Boat Harbor. The group represented the last of three special boat-based workshops
KUKUI‘ULA — Teachers from Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School, King Kaumuali‘i Elementary School and Kaua‘i Technology Academy had an opportunity to become whale researchers Saturday at the Kukui‘ula Small Boat Harbor.
The group represented the last of three special boat-based workshops for teachers, said Jean Souza, the Kaua‘i programs coordinator for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.
“The workshops, known as ‘Simulated SPLASH Research for Teachers’ provided a unique way for participants to learn about humpback whale behavior — by simulating humpback whale research activities in the field,” Souza said in a news release.
The workshops were sponsored by the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and Capt. Tara Leota and Kaua‘i Sea Riders.”
SPLASH — which stands for Structures of Population, Levels of Abundance and Status of Humpback Whales — is an international cooperative research project, according to the NOOA website.
Souza said the workshops for teachers and other NOAA volunteers, including rangers from the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, utilized many of the research protocols utilized by humpback whale researchers during the international SPLASH research project.
One of the new facets of the workshop involved the use of cameras equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) devices.
The shoreside overview, about 30 minutes in length, provided a briefing of the humpback whales and research methods, including the use of the newly-acquired GPS-equipped cameras.
Following the shoreside briefing, teachers and volunteers took to the water for a 90-minute on-water session with Souza and Capt. Leota.
“While on the boats, the participants took on the roles typical of whale research teams, including photographer, GPS tracker, data recorder and spotters,” Souza said.
Souza said the afternoon session was also attended by sanctuary volunteers who help with the sanctuary’s after-school whale education program and others who help with non-formal education.
“Both workshops were successfully conducted, even if ocean conditions were a little rough with choppy seas generated by Kona, or southerly, winds,” Souza said. “The complexities of whale behavior and the dynamic changes of group composition were witnessed by the morning workshop group. The afternoon group got a close look at competitive group behaviors in which adult males compete physically with each other to be close to the female of the group.”
Visit www.hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov for more information on the SPLASH program.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
