On November 2, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researchers, while wrapping up their fieldwork, encountered a 30-foot whale shark near Kualoa Ranch, just a mile off Kāneʻohe Bay. This sighting is a significant addition to the marine life encounters documented in Hawaiian waters. The team from the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) Shark Research Lab was initially attracted to the site by seabirds hovering above a bait ball—a phenomenon where small fish cluster in a dense formation, often a sign of predatory activity. Mark Royer, a HIMB researcher, dove into the water to explore and found himself face-to-face with … Continue reading University of Hawaiʻi Researchers Document Rare Visit by 30-Foot Whale Shark