Cetacean Strandings in the Pacific Islands

Welcome to NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Region cetacean stranding updates page. We encourage you to follow this page for highlights regarding dolphin and whale stranding events and stranding-related research in our region. Our goal is to share information about these strandings and their relevance to marine mammal management and conservation in the Pacific Islands.

2024 Cetacean Stranding Log

This table shares preliminary information on cetacean strandings in the Pacific Islands Region for the current year. For further information or historical data requests, please email: mmhsrp.nationaldb@noaa.gov

	Date of Stranding	Island	Species	Age Class	Sex	Live/Dead Stranding	Live Animal Outcome	Preliminary Findings
Image	7/14/2024	Hawaiʻi	Kogia	Calf	Unknown	Live	Passed away on own	Necropsy not conducted; maternal separation
Image	7/9/2024	Hawaiʻi	Spinner dolphin	Juvenile	Male	Dead	N/A, deceased	Necropsy not conducted
Image	6/20/2024	Kauaʻi	Spinner dolphin	Pending determination	Pending determination	Dead	N/A, deceased	Intestinal obstruction from organic material
Image	6/14/2024	Kauaʻi	Sperm whale	Adult	Unknown	Dead	N/A, deceased	Partially decomposed head of a sperm whale washed ashore. Samples taken; remains left in place.
Image	4/24/2024	Guam	Spinner dolphin	Calf	Unknown	Live	Pushed back to ocean, restranded once, not sighted again.	Maternal separation
Image	4/20/2024	Oʻahu	Striped dolphin	Unknown	Unknown	Live	Observed free-swimming in water with an injury. Subsequently attacked by a shark, died in the water.	N/A, did not strand in an accessible location.
Image	4/19/2024	Maui	Striped dolphin	Juvenile	Male	Dead	N/A, deceased	Brain infection caused by brucella
Image	4/16/2024	Pihemanu Kuaihelani (Midway Island)	Bottlenose dolphin	Adult	Female	Dead	N/A, deceased	Pending sample analysis
Image	2/27/2024	Lānaʻi	Humpback whale	Calf	Male	Dead	N/A, deceased	Vessel Strike
Image	2/12/2024	Kauaʻi	Hawaiian spinner dolphin	Yearling	Female	Dead	N/A, deceased	Vessel Strike
Image	2/11/2024	Maui	Melon-headed whale	Adult	Male	Dead	N/A, deceased	Infectious disease
Unknown	1/12/2024	Hawaiʻi	Unknown; partial bones and tissue	Unknown	Unknown	Dead	N/A, deceased	No exam or samples taken

Community Partners Respond to Summer Cetacean Strandings on Hawaiʻi

August 7, 2024

Two cetacean strandings on Hawaiʻi Island this summer heralded an important and developing partnership between NOAA Fisheries and the Native Hawaiian Organization Kiaʻi Kanaloa. 

Learn more about the growing partnership and joint stranding responses  

Yearling Spinner Dolphin and Humpback Whale Calf Killed by Likely Vessel Strike

March 7, 2024

On February 12, 2024, NOAA Fisheries and the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) responded to a report of a dead Hawaiian spinner dolphin calf on the west side of Kauaʻi. The University of Hawaiʻi Health and Stranding Lab, one of our stranding network partners, conducted a necropsy (animal autopsy) and determined the dolphin was a female, approximately 1 year old. The internal exam indicated the yearling died of trauma to the head consistent with a vessel strike.

Just a few weeks later, on February 26, 2024, a dead humpback whale calf was reported on the northeast side of Lānaʻi. NOAA Fisheries, Pūlama Lāna‘i, DLNR’s Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement (DOCARE) responded. The University of Hawaiʻi Health and Stranding Lab conducted a necropsy. The internal exam indicated this calf also had multiple skull fractures consistent with a vessel strike.

In addition to these deaths, on February 23, 2024, the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and Pacific Whale Foundation responded to a live humpback whale calf off of Maui with suspected vessel strike  injuries to its tail. No further updates are available at this time as no recent sightings have been reported.

Vessel operators should reduce speed in areas commonly used by marine mammals and turtles and to always post a lookout. Federal regulations prohibit approaching humpback whales in Hawaiʻi within 100 yards. Vessel operators are also reminded that under the Hawaiian spinner dolphin approach rule, it is illegal to approach spinner dolphins within 50 yards. The rule applies to any vessel, person, or object.

Learn more about boating guidelines for humpback whales