Whale tales: Students set sail for biology class research

Water from Hilo Bay came splashing up as giant waves rocked a boat holding several University of Hawaii at Hilo students on the lookout Wednesday morning.

Whale! Whale! shouted Zach Taylor, a 21-year-old marine science major at UH-Hilo.

Taylor and his peers have been spotting humpback whales in the bay since January as part of UH-Hilo associate professor Dr. Jason Turners Biology of Marine Mammals Lab.

The course provides aspiring marine science researchers at UH-Hilo with hands-on data collection experience.

On top of learning a variety of topics ranging from the evolution, systematics and biogeography of marine mammal groups to an overview of their musculoskeletal systems and dive physiology, the students in Turners class learn what it means to be in the field, seasickness and all.

Wednesday mornings waves had some students sitting back clutching their stomachs, but their eyes never left the horizon where they gazed the ocean for spouts of water coming from the whales blowholes.

Strapped with DSLR cameras, binoculars, timers and record sheets, the students were separated into different groups where they kept track of any whales spotted every five minutes.

With only three whales being recorded Wednesday, Turner explained the humpbacks migrate to Hawaii each year to give birth, nurse their young and mate. They begin their travels in November and are known to stay around until May with most of the whales being seen between January and March.

There were so many whales at the beginning of the semester, said Jenna Rubin, 21, who is studying marine science at the university.

When the crew finally spotted what was suspected to be a male humpback, Turner had the captain stop the boat while he dropped a hydrophone into the water. Also referred to as a water phone, the mechanism was attached to the boat and allowed students and those aboard to listen to the male humpback sing his unique song, which lasted about 20 minutes.

Originally posted here:

Whale tales: Students set sail for biology class research