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The island of Māui or Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian
Islands at 727.2 square miles (1883.5 kmē) and is the 17th largest
island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and
is the largest island in Maui County. Three other islands, Lanai,
Kahoolawe, and Molokai, also belong to Maui County. Together, the four
islands are known as Māui Nui. In 2000, Maui had a population of
117,644, the third-largest of the Hawaiian islands, behind that of
Oahu and Hawaii. Kahului is the largest town on the island with a
population of 20,146. Wailuku is the seat of Maui County.
Maui is a leading whale-watching center in the
Hawaiian Islands due to Humpback whales wintering in the sheltered ʻAuʻau
Channel between the islands of Maui county. The whales migrate
approximately 3,500 miles (5,600 km) from Alaskan waters each autumn
and spend the northern hemisphere winter months mating and birthing in
the warm waters off Maui. The whales are typically sighted in pods:
small groups of several adults, or groups that contain a mother and
her calf. Humpbacks are an endangered species protected by U.S.
federal and Hawaiʻi state law. There are estimated to be about 18,000
humpbacks in the North Pacific.
Maui's Humpback whales are facing many dangers more recently due to
increased levels of pollution, high speeds of commercial vessels, and
military sonar testing. |
