KnowKi

Learn the wildlife of marine protected areas

Learn the wildlife of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary

HI

1,995 species have research-grade observations in the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary on iNaturalist. KnowKi turns the most recorded into short lessons with real photos, from fish and seabirds to the life along the shore.

Five areas of shallow water around the main Hawaiian Islands, where humpbacks come to breed each winter.

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Āki the kiwi, KnowKi's guide

Most recorded here

The species with the most research-grade observations on iNaturalist, and how many each has. Most recorded doesn't mean native.

Birds

  1. Red-footed Booby Sula sula418
  2. Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax352
  3. Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus341
  4. Pacific Golden-Plover Pluvialis fulva305
  5. Wandering Tattler Tringa incana302
  6. Wedge-tailed Shearwater Ardenna pacifica268
  7. Great Frigatebird Fregata minor249
  8. Red-crested Cardinal Paroaria coronata215
  9. Common Myna Acridotheres tristis195
  10. Red-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda177

Plants

  1. Beach naupaka Scaevola taccada199
  2. Tree heliotrope Heliotropium arboreum168
  3. Sea Almond Terminalia catappa139
  4. Sea purslane Sesuvium portulacastrum128
  5. Beach Morning Glory Ipomoea pes-caprae127
  6. Indian tulip tree Thespesia populnea110
  7. Coconut palm Cocos nucifera84
  8. Kiawe Neltuma pallida80
  9. Beach Sheoak Casuarina equisetifolia75
  10. Saltwort Batis maritima69

Mammals

  1. Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae854
  2. Hawaiian Monk Seal Neomonachus schauinslandi176
  3. Spinner Dolphin Stenella longirostris171
  4. Small Indian Mongoose Urva auropunctata61
  5. Common Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus29

Insects

  1. Western Honey Bee Apis mellifera43
  2. Monarch Danaus plexippus29
  3. Giant Asian Mantis Hierodula patellifera22
  4. Gulf Fritillary Dione vanillae18
  5. Roseate Skimmer Orthemis ferruginea18
  6. Valley Carpenter Bee Xylocopa sonorina17

Reptiles

  1. Green Sea Turtle Chelonia mydas1,615
  2. Brown Anole Anolis sagrei242
  3. Gold Dust Day Gecko Phelsuma laticauda83
  4. Hawksbill Sea Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata44
  5. Asian House Gecko Hemidactylus frenatus16

Fish

  1. Hawaiian Convict Surgeonfish Acanthurus sandvicensis998
  2. Wedgetail Triggerfish Rhinecanthus rectangulus835
  3. Saddle Wrasse Thalassoma duperrey814
  4. Pacific Orange-spine Unicornfish Naso lituratus809
  5. Dusky Surgeonfish Acanthurus nigrofuscus766
  6. Yellow Tang Zebrasoma flavescens697
  7. Hawaiian Spotted Toby Canthigaster jactator684
  8. Moorish Idol Zanclus cornutus670
  9. Redlip Parrotfish Scarus rubroviolaceus636
  10. Blackspot Sergeant Abudefduf sordidus627

Mollusks

  1. Caramel Nudibranch Glossodoris rufomarginata316
  2. Day Octopus Octopus cyanea298
  3. Hawaiian Snakehead Cowrie Monetaria caputophidii269
  4. Hawaiian Black Nerite Nerita picea216
  5. Tom Smith's Nudibranch Ardeadoris tomsmithi183
  6. Gold Lace Nudibranch Halgerda terramtuentis171
  7. Dotted Periwinkle Littoraria pintado162
  8. Pease's Nudibranch Hypselodoris peasei162
  9. Trembling Nudibranch Goniobranchus vibratus148
  10. Pustulose Wart Slug Phyllidiella pustulosa131

How a trip works

A trip has its own trail of lessons: meet six species, match them to new photos, then practice with four choices. Species you learn go into your Fieldbook, and starting a trip earns its Passport stamp. Your home place stays as it is.

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Species lists and counts from research-grade observations on iNaturalist, as of October 2026. KnowKi is not affiliated with NOAA or any area's managers. Free, with no ads, no account and no purchases.