See it: Response team works to study and save humpback whales from disentanglement in Hawaii
Since 2003, the team has freed 44 humpback whales from more than 15,000 feet of entanglement gear in Hawaii.
A look into Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary efforts to save whales in Hawaii
NOAA's "Stories from the Blue: Saving Koholā" gives insight into the work the Hawaii Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary does to monitor and save humpback whales that that migrate to the waters around the islands to mate and give birth.
The Hawaiian Islands humpback whale population is a large source of tourism for the islands due to the number of whale sightings in the area. These whales come to the area to mate and raise their young, and often get stuck in marine debris.
The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary does work to disentangle and document these humpback whales as non-invasively as possible.
The team readies to free an entangled whale.
(Stories from the Blue: Saving Koholā / NOAA)
"Stories from the Blue: Saving Koholā" is a film released by NOAA and details the response efforts to save entangled whales.
Ed Lyman is the Natural Resource Specialist for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and talked in the film about their efforts.
He said they use photo documentation to evaluate the whales' conditions from afar.
In addition to the work the team does to document whales' conditions, they use suction cup trackers that can track depth and have cameras for monitoring the whales' behaviors and interactions.
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The team drops uses a drone to drop a tracker onto a whale's back.
(Stories from the Blue: Saving Koholā / NOAA)
"All these means can paint a picture, put the puzzle together and let us know how they are doing," Lyman said.
The trackers are dropped by drones or can be attached via a pole on a boat.
They're stuck to the whales' backs, and they have galvanic releases made of sacrificial metal that dissolves in seawater when they're ready to fall off.
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A tracker dropped by the team sticks to the back of the whale.
(Stories from the Blue: Saving Koholā / NOAA)
Some of the most harrowing work done by the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary team does is freeing whales from entanglement.
The film goes into depth about the process, and how the team tries to disturb the whales as little as possible as to not affect their behaviors.
Video shows the team using a long pole at a 45-degree angle to cut a piece of rope that was caught across a whale's body.
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The team uses a pole to free a whale from the entanglement.
(Stories from the Blue: Saving Koholā / NOAA)
Even when on monitoring trips, the team comes prepared in case they see or get a call about an entangled whale.
"We have a lot of experience kind of reading the animal's behavior and when to move in," said Maria Harvey, Large Whale Resource Protection and Monitoring assistant. "You have to be able to know when it's safe to get in because you and your teammate are in a compromised position."
Harvey said they read the whale's behavior when they are attempting a disentanglement.
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A humpback whale entangled with marine gear.
(Stories from the Blue: Saving Koholā / NOAA)
Lyman said all the work done by the Hawaiian islands Humpback National Marine Sanctuary is a group effort with the community.
Everyone does everything they can to help protect and save the species in the local community.
During a mission to release a whale from the gear.
(Stories from the Blue: Saving Koholā / NOAA)
Since 2003, the team has freed 44 humpback whales from more than 15,000 feet of entanglement gear in Hawaii.
To watch "Stories of the Blue: Saving Koholā" in it entirety, visit the NOAA National Marine Sanctuary website here.