Keeping Wildlife Wild How to safely enjoy PACIFIC ISLANDS - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Keeping Wildlife Wild

PACIFIC ISLANDS REGIONAL OFFICE

Adam Kurtz Protected Resource Division February 23, 2019 Honolulu, HI

Waikiki Swim Club

How to safely enjoy protected marine wildlife

National Weather Service National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service National Ocean Service National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Oceanic & Atmospheric Research Office of Marine & Aviation Operations

Protected Resources Division

Work to conserve, protect, and recover species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA)

Wildlife Mgmt. and Conservation Branch

• Wildlife rescue responses.
• Reduce adverse human-wildlife interactions.
• Outreach that promote species conservation and recovery.

Wildlife Management?

My Job:

Prevent people from being JERKS to animals. Manage harmful human interactions with protected wildlife by promoting compliance of the federal wildlife conservation laws, the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act through outreach and education efforts throughout the region.

Wildlife Viewing: Helpful or Harmful?

Wildlife viewing by residents and tourists is essential for education and conservation awareness of the species



X

Irresponsible actions by wildlife viewers can disturb and harm marine wildlife

=

Teaching people how to respect wildlife.

GOALS: Conservation & Recovery

Endangered = in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. Threatened = likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future.

Endangered Species Act

Endangered Species Act

Illegal to take Harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, collect, or attempt to do those things to the species.

Marine Mammal Protection Act

Illegal to take = harass, hunt, capture, collect, kill any marine mammal or attempt to do so. Harassment includes human acts of pursuit, torment, or annoyance, which have the potential to:

• Level A - injure a marine mammal,
• Level B – disturb a marine mammal, by causing a disruption of

behavioral patterns.

ESA MMPA

Hawaiian monk seal Insular false killer whale Hawksbill sea turtle Green sea turtle Humpback whale Hawaiian spinner dolphin Bottlenose dolphin Pilot whale

Why Should We Protect Them?

• Important part of the marine ecosystem:
• Apex predators; keystone species.
• Charismatic megafauna:
• Long-living; intelligent; sentinel species.
• Many threats are man-made:
• Disturbance, fishery interactions,

entanglements, ingesting marine debris, contaminants and pollution, habitat degradation, boat strikes, disease, illegal hunting, man-made noise, and climate change.

Impacts of Human Interactions

Repeated interactions with humans can change an animal’s natural behavior and hurt its chances of survival:

• Uses up precious energy.
• Causes physiological stress.
• Lowers reproductive success.
• Affects socializing and communication.
• Changes behaviors needed to survive

(feeding, breeding, sheltering, etc.).

• Conditions or habituates to humans.

Commonly Viewed Protected Marine Species

Hawaiian green honu Hawaiian hawksbill honu`ea

Sea Turtles in Hawai`i

ESA List Status: Endangered

• Forages at Hāmākua coast on

Hawai`i Island and West Maui.

• Nesting area at Ka`ū coast on

BI; S. Maui; E. Moloka`i.

• Eat sponges, invertebrates, and

algae. ESA List Status: Threatened

• Forages throughout Hawaiian

Islands.

• Nesting area mostly at French

Frigate Shoals.

• Forage mostly on sea grasses

and algae.

Scientific name: Chelonia mydas Scientific name: Eretmochelys imbricata

Green Sea Turtle Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Sea Turtles – Quick Facts

Narrow head and pointed beak 2 1 3 2 4 1 Two scales between eyes Rounded head Four scales between eyes Scutes overlapping (roof shingles) Scutes adjoining (tiles) Hatchlings dark gray w/ white trim Hatchlings all brown

Green Sea Turtle Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Sea Turtles – Identification

`ilioholoikauaua

“Dog that runs in the rough seas”

Hawaiian Monk Seals

• Legal protection:
• ESA (Endangered).
• MMPA (Depleted).
• ~1,400 total individuals.
• ~1,100 in NWHI.
• ~300 in MHI.
• “Generalist” feeders.
• Squid, octopus, crustaceans, eel,

various fish.

Scientific name: Neomonachus schauinslandi

Hawaiian Monk Seals – Quick Facts

Dolphins and Whales in Hawai`i

• ~26 species of

dolphins and whales in Hawaiian waters.

• Eight large whale

species.

• 18 small whale &

dolphin species.

Humpback Whales

koholā

• Legal protection:
• MMPA (Depleted).
• Migrate from Alaska (feeding

grounds) to Hawai`i (breeding grounds) in the winter.

• ~10k – 12k individuals in Hawai`i.
• Feed mostly on krill.
• Young calves frequently seen in

Hawaiian waters.

Scientific name: Megaptera novaeangliae

Adapted by the HIHWNMS using migration data from the SPLASH project

Humpback Whale – Species Profile

Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins

nai`a

Spinner Dolphin – Species Profile

• Legal protection:
• MMPA.
• Six island-associated stocks:
• Kauai/Ni`ihau.
• O`ahu/4-Islands Region.
• Hawai`i Island.
• Kure/Midway, Pearl and Hermes

Reef, Pelagic (offshore).

• Eat fish, squid, and shrimp:
• One to four prey items per minute.

Scientific name: Stenella longirostris longirostris

At night: “working the nightshift” to hunt offshore in large groups. During day: use shallow bays to rest, nurture young, socialize and avoid predators.

A Day in the Life of a Spinner Dolphin

• Easy to access for wildlife tour operators.
• Intense viewing pressure during critical

daytime resting period.

Number of dolphin-directed tours across the MHI

• Advertising and social media often

encourage close encounters.

• Hawaii Island study (Tyne et al.):
• Exposed to human activities (within

100 m) 83% of the time and only about 10 min in between exposures.

• Highest rates of human exposure

than anywhere else in the world.

Intense Viewing Pressure

Swimmers’ Actions that Cause Disturbance:

• Closely approaching.
• Pursuit (following or

chasing).

• Diving down towards

animals.

• Eliciting a response

(making noises, splashing, leaf game).

Dolphin Tour Industry in Hawai`i

• Most common on O`ahu

and Big Island.

• Wai`anae coast – Wai`anae

Boat Harbor and Ko Olina.

• Kona coast – Generally

from Kauhakō Bay up to Kawaihae.

• Mostly opportunistic on

Kaua`i, Maui, and Lāna`i.

• Offer boat watching and/or

“swim with dolphins” tours.

Boat Tour Management

Outreach and Education

• Ocean Users Workshops

hosted by the Humpback Whale Sanctuary.

• Dolphin SMART.

Enforcement

• NOAA Office of

Law Enforcement.

• Hawaii DOCARE.
• U.S. Coast Guard.

How You Can Help!

Responsible wildlife viewing:

• View wildlife with RESPECT!
• Don’t do anything to disturb their normal

behavior, including approaching or following.

• If animals approach you, do not interact,

follow, or otherwise elicit a response from

• them. Allow them to pass undisturbed!

Be a responsible wildlife steward:

• Teach others how to view responsibly.

Report harassment or emergencies:

• Send photos/video to respectwildlife@noaa.gov.
• Call Wildlife Emergency Response Hotline.

In Closing…

Real animal lovers RESPECT animals.

Give them space. Minimize disturbance. Keep them wild.

Contact Adam Kurtz (808) 725-5165 adam.kurtz@noaa.gov

Send reports of harassment to respectwildlife@noaa.gov

Questions?

Laws vs. Regulations vs. Guidelines

Laws:

• Written and passed by Congress, signed by the president.
• e.g., Endangered Species Act (ESA); Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

Regulations:

• Extension of laws implemented by government agencies based
• n the best info available.
• e.g., Humpback whale approach regulations (authorized under MMPA); Proposed

spinner dolphin approach regulations (authorized under MMPA).

Guidelines:

• Voluntary standards developed by experts of the field that

promote best practices and encourage compliance.

• e.g., NOAA Fisheries Wildlife Viewing Guidelines.

Sea Turtle Viewing Guidelines

• View sea turtles on land and in the water

from a distance of 10 feet (3 meters).

• Never prevent a turtle from surfacing, they

require air to breathe.

• Don’t attempt to push a turtle back in the

water or pour water on it, it is normal for turtles to rest on the beach.

• Do not feed sea turtles.
• Drive boats slowly near harbors and in

shallow reef habitats to avoid collisions.

• Use “turtle friendly” fishing techniques:
• Barbless circle hooks.
• Live fish bait.
• IT’S OK TO HELP!

Monk Seal Viewing Guidelines

• Stay behind and signs or barriers.
• Use the “Rule of Thumb”:
• Hold your thumb out in front of you in your

line of sight of the seal, if your thumb completely covers the seal you are far enough away to not disturb it.

• Don’t attempt to push a seal back in the water
• r pour water on it, let sleeping seals lie.
• Don’t feed or interact with seals, it can

disrupt their natural behavior.

• Keep all dogs on a leash in presence of

seals.

• Use “seal friendly” fishing techniques:
• Barbless circle hooks.
• Take a break if seals are in the area.
• Spear fishermen – protect your catch.

• Illegal under the MMPA for any

vessel, person, or object to approach a humpback whale within 100 yards.

• Includes approach by interception or

“leapfrogging”.

• All aircraft must remain 1,000 feet from

humpback whales.

• Don’t encircle or trap humpback

whales between boats or shore.

• If approached by whale, put engine

in neutral and allow animal to pass.

• Keep a sharp lookout, watch your

speed, and warn other vessels.

Humpback Whale Viewing Guidelines

Dolphin and Whale Viewing Guidelines

• Remain at least 50 yards away

from dolphins and whales.

• Do not swim with wild dolphins,

any disturbance can hurt their chances to survive in the wild.

• Don’t encircle or trap dolphins or

whales between boats or shore.

• If approached by a dolphin or

whale, maintain course (boat) and don’t attempt to approach, follow or otherwise interact.

• Move away cautiously if animals

show signs of disturbance.

Signs of Disturbance

• Sudden awakening from a sleep-like

state on the seafloor.

• Movement away from human activity.
• Increased swimming speed.
• Dive toward deeper water.

Sea Turtles

• Rapid changes in swimming direction,

speed, or aerial behaviors.

• Erratic swimming patterns.
• Escape tactics.
• Female attempting to shield calf.
• Sudden stop in important behavior.

Dolphins and Whales

• Rapid movement away from disturbance

toward the water.

• Sudden awakening from sleep on the

beach.

• Female attempting to shield a pup.
• Vocalization or “growling”.

Hawaiian Monk Seals

Cautiously move away if you observe any signs of disturbance!

In other locations, intense viewing pressures on dolphins have resulted in habitat avoidance, habitat abandonment, and even reduced fitness.

In Hawai`i, we are seeing impacts…

• Avoidance behaviors of both boats and people (Timmel 2008).
• Deterrence from entering preferred habitat, shorter resting periods,

constant state of alertness (Danil et al. 2005).

• Changes to occupancy rates in resting areas (Ostman-Lind 2009).
• Changes in daily behavior patterns, e.g., changes to aerial behavior,

changes in direction of travel (Forest 2001, Courbis 2008).

• Lack of rest possibly leading to impaired cognitive and decision-making

abilities (Tyne et al. 2018).

Spinner Dolphin Proposed Rule

Proposed rule to enhance protections for Hawaiian spinner dolphins published on August 24, 2016. The rule is being finalized but is currently NOT IN EFFECT. Prohibits:

• Approaching within 50 yards (includes

interception or “leapfrogging”).

• Swimming or attempting to swim within

50 yards.

• Several exceptions to the rule.

Boaters’ Actions that Cause Disturbance:

Driving, Circling, and Leapfrogging Driving: The act of the boat captain piloting a boat that “drives” the dolphins forward, as in corralling or herding dolphins to move in a certain direction. Circling: The act of piloting a boat in tight circles around a dolphin or group of dolphins in order to elicit a response such as leaping and spinning. Leapfrogging: The act of placing a boat in the predictable path of the dolphins so as to intercept them as they pass. Typically the boat captain will then pilot the boat ahead of the pod to intercept them again, possibly repeating this multiple times.

Spinner Dolphin – “Normal” Behaviors

Resting behavior:

• Characterized by tight group.
• Slow speed moving back forth.
• Typically take multiple breaths.
• Synchronous group diving and spend long

periods of time submerged (1.5–3 min). Social Behavior:

• Characterized by regular, consistent,

aerial behaviors within the group.

• Little time is spent below the surface

(dives are brief). Travel behavior:

• Directed swimming that is roughly straight.

Behaviors demonstrated when the individual animal appears agitated which may include:

• Rapid changes in direction or swimming speed,
• Avoidance from a negative stimuli (displacement),
• Escape tactics such as prolonged diving, underwater exhalation,

underwater, course changes, or rapid swimming at the surface (running),

• Female attempting to shield a calf with her body or by her

movements,

• Closing ranks or “tightening ranks,” and
• Spinning, breaching, tail slapping, or other surface behaviors.

Spinner Dolphin – Disturbance Behavior

Spinner Dolphin Viewing FACTS

• Spinner dolphins choose their daytime resting areas for multiple

reasons.

• Protected area and easy to spot predators.
• Close to their feeding grounds.
• Like people, spinner dolphins don’t always make healthy choices.
• Using up precious energy and getting insufficient rest makes it hard to survive.
• Closely approaching dolphins forces them to choose how to respond.

Spinners are vulnerable and at risk if they leave their preferred habitat! Just because they choose to interact does not mean it is good for them!

• Any disturbance can be harmful, regardless of who or how.
• Hundreds of people interact with spinner dolphins all day and every day.

The best way to view and respect the dolphins is to stay back 50 yards!