The shore-based census of humpback whales in the Hawaiian Islands National Marine Sanctuary — conducted in Oahu, Hawaii Island (Big Island) and Kauai, will be conducted on the last Saturday in January, February and March, from 8 am to 12:15 p.m. January through March is peak whale season in the Hawaiian Islands. To volunteer, you can sign up online or call 808-725-5917 (O‘ahu, and Hawaii Island) and 800- 246-2860 for Kauai.

Each winter, a portion of the endangered North Pacific humpback whale population migrates from their feeding grounds in Alaska to the warm waters of Hawaii to mate and calve. Hawaii's waters are considered one of the most important breeding, calving and nursing grounds for humpback whales in the North Pacific.

The count provides a snapshot of humpback whale sightings from the shoreline. Participants tally humpback whale sightings and make notes on the whales’ behaviors.

Take a look at this record-breaking shot of 9 humpback whales in Tonga.

Last year, during the first event of the 20th anniversary of the count, more than 850 volunteers participated, collecting data from 58 sites statewide. A total of 354 whales were seen during the 8:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. time period, the most of any time period throughout the count (56 sites reported data).