US Navy
Marine Species Monitoring
Visual Survey and Tagging of Hawaiian Odontocetes
Introduction & Objectives
Technical Approach
Progress & Results
Publications:
- Accounting for sampling bias reveals a decline in abundance of endangered false killer whales in the main Hawaiian Islands
Badger, J.J., R.W. Baird, D.S. Johnson, A.L. Bradford, S.D. Mahaffy, M.A. Kratofil, T. Cullins, J.J. Currie, S.H. Stack, and E.M. Oleson. 2025. Endangered Species Research 57:325–340. -
- Long-term strategies for studying rare species: results and lessons from a multi-species study of odontocetes around the main Hawaiian Islands.
Baird, R.W., S.D. Mahaffy, B. Hancock-Hanser, T. Cullins, K.L. West, M.A. Kratofil, D.M. Barrios, A.E. Harnish, and P.C. Johnson. 2024. Pacific Conservation Biology 30:PC23027. -
- Beaked whales and El Niño: evidence for ENSO effects on Blainville’s beaked and goose-beaked whale space use in Hawaiian waters.
Barrios, A.E., R.W. Baird, and M.A. Kratofil. 2024. Marine Ecology Progress Series 751:189–209. -
- False killer whales and fisheries in Hawaiian waters: evidence from mouthline and dorsal fin injuries reveal ongoing and repeated interactions.
Harnish, A.E., R.W. Baird, S.D. Mahaffy, A.B. Douglas, M.A. Kratofil, J.F. Shaff, T. Cullins, S.H. Stack, J.J. Currie, and A.L. Bradford. 2024. Endangered Species Research 55:273–293. -
- Rough-toothed dolphin exposures to U.S. Navy mid-frequency active sonar at the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Hawai‘i
- Martin C.R., Henderson, E.E., Baird, R.W., Kratofil, M.A. and Martin, S.W. 2024. Detection, Classification, Localization, and Density Estimation of Marine Mammals Workshop. June 3–7, 2024. Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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- Identifying social clusters of endangered main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whales.
Mahaffy, S.D., R.W. Baird, A.E. Harnish, T. Cullins, S.H. Stack, J.J. Currie, A.L. Bradford, D.R. Salden, and K.K. Martien. 2023. Endangered Species Research 51:249–268. -
- Sexually dimorphic characteristics of short-finned pilot whales, false killer whales, pygmy killer whales, and melon-headed whales assessed using fin and body morphometrics from photographs taken at sea.
Yahn, S.N., R.W. Baird, S.D. Mahaffy, and K.M. Robertson. 2023. Marine Mammal Science 39(1):98–113. -
- Improved Satellite Tag Track Analyses and Received Level Estimation of Odontocetes During Navy Training at PMRF.
Henderson, E.E., C.R. Martin, M.A. Kratofil, S.W. Martin, R.W. Baird, B.L. Southall. 2022. Effects of Sound on Marine Mammals Conference, Beaufort, North Carolina, 15-18 March 2022. -
- Discrete‐space continuous‐time models of marine mammal exposure to Navy sonar.
Jones‐Todd, C.M., E. Pirotta, J.W. Durban, D.E. Claridge, R.W. Baird, E.A. Falcone, G.S. Schorr, S. Watwood, and L. Thomas. 2022. Ecological Applications 32. -
- Bringing the right fishermen to the table: indices of overlap between endangered false killer whales and nearshore fisheries in Hawai‘i.
Baird, R.W., D.B. Anderson, M.A. Kratofil, and D.L. Webster. 2021. Biological Conservation 255. - Site fidelity, spatial use, and behavior of dwarf sperm whales in Hawaiian waters: using small-boat surveys, photo-identification, and unmanned aerial systems to study a difficult-to-study species.
Baird, R.W., S.D. Mahaffy, and L.K. Jordan. 2021. Marine Mammal Science. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12861 -
- Diel and lunar variation in diving behavior of rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) off Kaua’i, Hawai’i.
Shaff, J.F., and R.W. Baird. 2021. Marine Mammal Science 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12811. -
- The lives of Hawai‘i’s dolphins and whales: Natural history and conservation. - ISBN: 978-0-8248-5998-5
Baird, R.W. 2016. University of Hawaiʻi Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. -
- Odontocete cetaceans around the Main Hawaiian Islands: habitat use and relative abundance from small-boat sighting surveys - 13 MB
Baird, R.W., D.L. Webster, J.M. Aschettino, G.S. Schorr, and D.J. McSweeney. 2013. Aquatic Mammals 39:253-269.
- Odontocete cetaceans around the Main Hawaiian Islands: habitat use and relative abundance from small-boat sighting surveys - 13 MB
- The lives of Hawai‘i’s dolphins and whales: Natural history and conservation. - ISBN: 978-0-8248-5998-5
- Diel and lunar variation in diving behavior of rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) off Kaua’i, Hawai’i.
- Bringing the right fishermen to the table: indices of overlap between endangered false killer whales and nearshore fisheries in Hawai‘i.
- Discrete‐space continuous‐time models of marine mammal exposure to Navy sonar.
- Improved Satellite Tag Track Analyses and Received Level Estimation of Odontocetes During Navy Training at PMRF.
- Sexually dimorphic characteristics of short-finned pilot whales, false killer whales, pygmy killer whales, and melon-headed whales assessed using fin and body morphometrics from photographs taken at sea.
- Identifying social clusters of endangered main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whales.
- False killer whales and fisheries in Hawaiian waters: evidence from mouthline and dorsal fin injuries reveal ongoing and repeated interactions.
- Beaked whales and El Niño: evidence for ENSO effects on Blainville’s beaked and goose-beaked whale space use in Hawaiian waters.
- Long-term strategies for studying rare species: results and lessons from a multi-species study of odontocetes around the main Hawaiian Islands.
Project Information
Location: PMRF, Hawaii
Timeline:
Funding:
Points of Contact
Principal Investigator, Dr. Robin Baird, Cascadia Research Collective
Project Manager, Dr. Jessica Chen, NAVFAC Pacific
Program Manager, Julie Rivers, Pacific Fleet Environmental Readiness Division
Reports & Data
Baird et al. 2024 - Small Boat Surveys on PMRF February 2024
Baird et al. 2023. - Small Boat Surveys on PMRF August 2023
Baird et al. 2023. Small_Boat_Surveys_on_PMRF_August_2022
Baird et al. 2022. Small_Boat_Surveys_on_PMRF_August_2021
Baird et al. 2021. Odontocete Studies on PMRF February 2020
Baird et al. 2019. Odontocete RL of MFAS during SCC 2016-2018
- Baird et al. 2018. Odontocete Studies on PMRF, Aug 2017 - 3.7 MB
- Baird et al. 2019. Odontocete Studies on PMRF, Aug 2018 - 9.8 MB
- Baird et al. 2019. Odontocete RL of MFAS during SCC 2016-2018
- Baird. 2018. Odontocete Studies on PMRF, Aug 2017
- Baird et al. 2017. Odontocete Studies on PMRF Feb 2016 Report - 2.8 MB
- Baird et al. 2017. Received SPLs and Movements of Odontocetes Exposed to MFAS at PMRF
- Baird et al. 2016. Odontocete Studies on PMRF Feb 2015
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- Baird et al. 2014. Odontocete Studies on the Pacific Missile Range Facility in July/August 2013: Satellite-tagging, Photo-identification, and Passive Acoustic Monitoring - 2.2 MB
- Baird et al. 2015. Odontocete Studies on the Pacific Missile Range Facility in February 2014: Satellite-tagging, Photo-identification, and Passive Acoustic Monitoring - 6.6 MB
- Baird et al. 2014. Assessment of Modeled Received Sound Pressure Levels and Movements of Satellite-tagged Odontocetes Exposed to Mid-frequency Active Sonar at the Pacific Missile Range Facility: February 2011 through February 2013
- Baird et al. 2013 (Satellite tagging photo-identification and passive acoustic monitoring of odontocetes at PMRF)
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- Baird et al. 2012. Movements and Spatial Use of Odontocetes in the Western Main Hawaiian Islands: Results From Satellite Tagging and Photo-Identification off Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau in July/August 2011 - 3 MB
- Baird et al. 2012. Odontocete Movements off the Island of Kaua‘i: Results of Satellite Tagging and Photo-Identification Efforts in January 2012
Associated Projects
Long Term Acoustic Monitoring Utilizing the Instrumented Range at PMRF
