Marine Mammals
Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary's primary focus is the graceful humpback whales which arrive in sanctuary waters to breed, calve, and nurse their young before returning north to the colder waters of the Bering Sea. However, the sanctuary also provides harbor for fin, minke, pygmy, false killer, and right whales. The warm waters teem with many species of dolphin including bottlenose, spinner, striped and rough-toothed. In addition, Hawaiian waters and beaches are home to the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, a solitary species that can be found feeding around coral reefs, or resting on beaches. Sanctuary waters provide critical habitat for all of these unique mammals.