Groups of nai‘a (spinner dolphins) play close to shore in spring and summer, entertaining visitors with dramtic leaps and spins.
Spinner dolphin - Photo credit Dave Ledig/USFWS
Endangered koholā (humpback whales), which migrate from Alaska to Hawai‘i each year to mate, give birth, and rear their young, swim offshore from December to April. Koholā can be seen offshore of Kīlauea Point from November to April. Prime time for whale watching is between January and March.
‘Ilio holo i ka uaua (Hawaiian monk seals) can occasionally be seen hauling out on rocks below the cliffs. Most of these endangered seals live in the remote northwestern area of the Hawaiian Islands and are a rare sight on Hawai‘i's main islands.
Hawaiian monk seal - Photo credit USFWS
You may even spot a honu (green turtle) bobbing in the waves below Kīlauea Point. Although turtles may be seen mating in Kaua‘i waters, honu typically mate and nest at the place of their birth in French Frigate Shoals in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
