What kind of wild animals live in hawaii

The poisonous Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake has also found its way to Hawaii from other tropical seas, although these snakes keep themselves well hidden underwater so you are not likely to encounter one.

These small weasel-like animals can sometimes be seen darting across fields or streets. Mongoose were purposely brought to the islands in the s in a now famously ill-fated and uninformed attempt to biologically control the rats in the sugar cane fields. The plan went terribly wrong because rats are nocturnal and mongoose are not, thus the two species rarely crossed paths. So, now in modern-day Hawaii, while the mongoose sleep at night, the rats merrily go about their business.

If you are on a Maui beach and come across what appears to be a large, fat, furry lump on the sand, consider yourself fortunate for you have just seen one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world—the Hawaiian monk seal. There are approximately 1, Hawaiian monk seals still existing in the wild. Most live in the remote northernmost islands of the Hawaiian archipelago, but about live around the main Hawaiian islands, and an estimated of those frequent Maui.

An adult Hawaiian monk seal measures about 7 feet in length and weighs pounds. Well-meaning spectators have been known to poke them or throw stones to see if they are alive. If you are lucky enough to see one, do not approach or disturb the seal. Aside from being potentially dangerous, Hawaiian monk seals are a critically endangered species protected by Federal and State law. It is illegal to come closer than feet of a seal, disrupt their behavior, or harass them in any way—in or out of the water.

When it is necessary to pass by a monk seal that has hauled itself onto the beach in front of you, keep your distance—that is mandated by law. If it is a female monk seal with a pup an extremely rare sight , be even more cautious and never come between them. Please respect these precious and highly endangered creatures.

And please report any seal sighting on Maui to — it will help local agencies track, monitor, and protect the seals. Green sea turtles are the most common turtle found in Hawaii. Honu are a threatened species under the U. Endangered Species Act, and conservation efforts have thankfully resulted in a steady population increase over the last three decades.

An adult green sea turtle can weigh from to pounds and live 60 to 70 years. You might see honu on our beaches, or they might be found swimming with you in the ocean. Another number to call regarding turtles that appear to be stranded, sick, or in distress: Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute Every winter, the North Pacific Humpback Whales migrate down from northern waters to bask in the warm seas of the Hawaiian islands.

Maui is tops for whale watching in Hawaii, and the sighting of a whale is truly an awesome experience. See my whale watching tips for more information on how to best see these magnificent creatures.

Seal pups are particularly vulnerable and therefore must not be disturbed at any cost. These Hawaiian monk seals are also susceptible to canine pathogens and hence pets must not be allowed to interact with these species. The northern elephant seal is named so for its relatively large size and the proboscis of the males of this species using which they make loud, roaring noises.

Unlike the Hawaiian monk seal, the northern elephant seal has a more widespread distribution and is not immediately threatened. Both are commonly spotted in Hawaiian waters. Every year, these whales migrate from Alaska to Hawaii during the winter. Mating of the humpback whales takes place in Hawaiian waters, and females give birth to calves the following year. Dolphins also find their refuge in the sea waters around Hawaii. Spinner dolphins are particularly common.

These creatures are relatively small about 6 feet in length , have unique body coloration dorsal surface is dark gray in color, a less deep shade of gray in the middle, and the ventral surface is light colored. Dolphins often reside in the shallow bays of Hawaii which also serve as their mating grounds. Tourists and tourism operators are advised to maintain safe distances from whales and dolphins so that unpleasant confrontations with these sea-dwellers might be avoided.

Human presence also disturbs the sense of peace and social life of these creatures. Boaters and swimmers are strictly told to maintain respectable distances from these aquatic animals.

The Hawaiian hoary bat is one of the two surviving mammals the second being the Hawaiian monk seal that are endemic to Hawaii. The Hawaiian hoary bat weighs about 14 to 18 g, and females are larger in size than males. The body of these bats are shaped like half a taro leaf. These bats are nocturnal insectivores.

The Indian mongoose is a non-native species in Hawaii. It was introduced to the archipelago in from India to control the rat population in the sugar plantations of Hawaii. The mongoose population soon grew rapidly and today is widespread across Hawaii.

They are weasel-like creatures with a length of about 26 inches, a tail as long as its brownish body, a pointed nose, and rounded ears. The introduction of the mongoose to Hawaii was a big mistake since the animal heavily predated on the ground-nesting birds, bird hatchlings, eggs, and endangered turtles of the island.

Large populations of the Hawaiian crow, Hawaiian goose, and other endemic birds of the archipelago have been lost due to predation by the Indian mongoose. The axis deer or chital, native to the Indian subcontinent, are well-known for their spotted coat, docile nature, and graceful gait.

The pantropical spotted dolphins rely on the epipelagic zone but may sometimes feed on squids and crustaceans. Typically, the rough-toothed dolphins are found in deeper parts of Hawaii, most notably in Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau. Usually, these dolphins move in groups where a group can have up to individuals. These mammals are quite easy to differentiate from the other members of the dolphin family. They have a characteristic conical head and a long and slender nose, where other dolphins have more bulging foreheads and shorter muzzle.

An average rough-toothed dolphin is taller than an average human; their height ranges from 2. The spinner dolphin is famous for its beautiful acrobatic displays in which it spins along a longitudinal axis as it jumps into the air.

In Hawaiian waters, spinner dolphins top the list of the most populous delphinid species. Some studies have also reported seeing them around several of the atolls of the main island chain. These dolphins get their food from the nutrient-rich mesopelagic community. These are known to seek out shallow coves daily to rest and hide from predation. The major recognizable factor of the striped dolphins is their stripes. Another more colored line extends from under the eye to the pectoral flipper.

These relatively small mammals have colorful and streamlined body which adds to their beauty. They live in the waters off Hawaii and other parts of the United States, such as the west coast, the northwestern Atlantic, and in the Gulf of Mexico.

These mammals, however, are not found in the boreal waters and colder regions of Alaska. The Blue Whale is one of the most rarely seen large whales off Hawaii. However, history has it that the whales have been sighted severally during winter. A typical blue whale has a long and slender body that can be of shades of bluish-grey dorsally, which becomes lighter ventrally.

There are lots of myths and legends about the blue whale, some of which are true. If you would like more details on the blue whale, I have written an article with facts, which you can find here. These huge mammals have been spotted severally off Oahu and the coast of Hawaii.

The whales are known to be deep divers reaching as far as a depth of 1, fathoms. This behavior makes it quite challenging to study the morphological features of a live beaked whale. The most striking diagnostic features of M. The bulges on the jaw are present regardless. Its other characteristic features include a forehead that gently slopes to a slight beak and two teeth that are only obvious in a closed mouth.

The common minke whale is one of two species of minke whales, generally considered the second smallest baleen whales. Reports say the maximum length of a male and female common minke whale varies from 8.

Both sexes typically weigh between 4—5 tons, but a maximum weight of 10 tons is achievable. The common minke whales are present in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and their major distinguishing feature is a white band on each flipper.

The color of their body can be black or dark-gray dorsally and white underneath. There have been sightings of the common minke whales near Kauai and Oahu. If you or someone you know loves whales then check out these great whale gifts on Amazon by clicking here.

The former has decimated over the decades and has less than individuals, while the latter, which are genetically separated, are rarely or never seen by visitors. They are also inhabitants of the blue waters between Maui and Lanai.

The Fin Whale is one of the largest earth mammals rivaled only by the blue whale. It is called the Finback whale because of its prominent dorsal fin, which lies in the posterior one-third of its back. Fin whales belong to the parvorder of baleen whales. They feed by filtering small schooling fish, squids, and crustaceans from the waters.

The fin whales were hunted mainly in the 21st with over , captures in the Southern Hemisphere alone. A moratorium was placed on these mammals to reduce whaling activities and consequently conserve the species.

Researchers have documented more sightings of fin whales than blue whales in Hawaiian waters, most notably around Lanai and Kona. Short-finned Pilot Whales are large exotic species of the Delphinidae family second in size only to the Killer whale. Plot whales move in about 25 to 50 individuals, where one mature male pilots eight or more adult females. Short-finned pilot whales can be easily identified with their low and falcate dorsal fins, as their name implies.

The dorsal fins vary in size and shape depending on the age and sex of the whales. Another noticeable feature is a relatively large bulbous head, which is more prominent in the adult male population. The Pygmy killer whale is so-called because of its similar characteristics with the killer whale. The skin is dark grey or black on the cape, which changes abruptly to light grey on the sides. Pygmy killer whales are seen and observed several times a year within Hawaiian waters. They are usually not found father than 10 miles away from the Hawaii shores.

Sperm whales are the largest toothed whales, and the Hawaiian Islands seem to have them in abundance. Back in the 19th century, the Hawaiian waters was a marked whaling ground for sperm whales. These animals, however, have very narrow lower jaws which house a set of teeth. Their primary preys are giant squids and fishes. Sperm whales prefer deeper depths, which is their primary feeding zone, and can dive as deep as ft. Recorded sounds confirm the presence of the sperm whales in Oahu over the years.

There is about 7, Sperm whale abundance in Hawaii, with the figures peaking during spring. The Pygmy Sperm whales are one of the three existing sperm whales. They are rarely seen at sea, and most of the documentation about them came from studying stranded specimens.

In Hawaii, the pygmy sperm whale is less encountered than the other extant sperm whales. It is quite safe to say these whales are smaller versions of the sperm whales. They, however, have their differences. From the cephalic region, the head is blunt and relatively smaller. Pygmy sperm whales have their mouth on the underside of their body like the sperm whales, but their dentition is a lot different.