LIHU‘E — Dr. Robin Baird will be featured during a webinar about studying whales and dolphins in the Hawaiian archipelago that will be aired Friday, May 1, starting at noon.
“The webinar is part of the National Marine Sanctuary Webinar Series, and represents a resumption of our Kaua‘i Ocean Discovery First Friday speaker series that was launched in person in February,” said Jean Souza, the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary program specialist. “Now, we are taking it online, and opening to a worldwide audience.”
The webinar is free. However, registration is required and, once registered, a link will be emailed containing information about joining the webinar.
Visit sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education/teachers/webinar-series.html and click on the “register” button at “Studying Whales and Dolphins in the Hawaiian Archipelago” subject to register for the webinar.
The Webinar ID is 851-995-595.
Attendees will receive certificates of attendance and one hour of professional development credit.
Long-term, small-boat-based studies in the main Hawaiian Islands have revealed information on 11 resident species of whales and dolphins as well as migratory and open-ocean species that visit the islands. Northwestern Hawaiian Islands studies have been more limited due to logistrics of vessel surveys.
Comparisons of sightings and tagging data from the two areas suggest that there are resident populations of many specieis of dolphins and whales in Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument that have yet to be recognized.
Baird, a research biologist at Cascadia Research Collective, will compare what is and isn’t known about whales and dolphins throughout the Hawaiian archipelago.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
