Mahalo for respecting Hawaiʻi's marine animals and for being kind to our oceankind.
Follow these steps if you see a Hawaiian monk seal, sea turtle, seabird, dolphin or whale.
STEP 1 - KEEP YOUR DISTANCE FROM ANIMALS
Here’s the proper distances to keep on shore OR in the water:
- Sea Turtles – 10 feet (3 meters) away
- Seabirds – 35 feet (10 meters) away
- Hawaiian monk seals – 50 feet (15 meters) away
- Dolphins – 150 feet (45 meters) away
- Whales – 300 feet (90 meters)
STEP 2 - CALL HAWAIʻI MARINE ANIMAL RESPONSE (HMAR)
Report ALL Hawaiian monk seals you see.
Report ANY sea turtles, seabirds, dolphins or whales of concern.
(888) 256-9840
STEP 3 - DO NOT DO ANY OF THESE THINGS
- Do not cause an interaction or touch the animal.
- Do not disturb or move the animal. Animals frequently use the shoreline for much needed rest.
- Do not feed or pour water on the animal.
- Do not attempt to swim with the animal.
- Do not try to intervene to help an animal. Call the hotline. If needed, a full assessment by a trained responder is required. Trying to help can cause more serious problems, you can be injured, and you will violate the law. The most important thing you can do is call the hotline and provide detailed information.
STEP 4 - PLEASE SUPPORT OUR WORK
As a non-profit organization that helps these animals thousands of times each year we rely on public donations and volunteers to continue our work.
