HONOLULU (KHON2) — A new study has uncovered a troubling trend for one of Hawaiʻi Island’s most recognizable marine animals. Scientists found far fewer spinner dolphin calves than expected, and the finding has raised questions about the long-term health of this isolated population.
The research pointed to a population that may be struggling to replace itself. This has added urgency to calls for stronger protections in the coastal areas where dolphins rest during the day.
Researchers with the Marine Mammal Research Program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, worked with national and international collaborators and found that calves make up about 9% of the spinner dolphin population off Hawaiʻi Island…