HAWAIIAN WILD LIFE

The marine mammal of Hawaii is the humpback whale. In 1992,the fedetral government founded the Hawaiian Island Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary to save the constantly growing population of whales. Females grow to about 50 feet. Males are slightly smaller. Humpback whales are known for their singing abilities. Males often sing while in their breeding ground. Take note when you hear this Whale Song that the frequent array of noises sounds like a herd of cows mooing.

The Hawaiian Monk Seal is another important animal in Hawaii. They are critically endangered and only 1,100 remain in the wild. They are protected by federal government laws. Females reach sexual maturity between 5 and 10 years old. The pups are born black and change color to gray as they grow older.

Monk seals at play

 
The Nene (Don't get confused by the dance) is Hawaii's state Bird. The nene doesn't live near water, unlike all other species of geese. Instead, they live on the slopes of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa volcanoes.It has a black and gray color and lives on the big island of Hawai'i.

NENE - Hawaiian Goose, originally uploaded by alohabob.  Photo thanks to: ISLANDLIGHTPHOTO.COM