Hawaii Uncharted Research Collective

08/27/2026

Nine new faces. Nine new names. 🦈

Tiberius. Sharkalarka. Pau Hana. Jeremy Wade. Luna. Sailor. Kalea. Chicken Nugget. Jada.

All recently identified and added to our database and every one a whale shark we’d never documented before!

We identify each individual by their spot pattern, which is unique to them and stays the same for life. One clear photo is all it takes to add someone new, or to recognize an old friend returning.

And yes…whoever spots a new shark gets to name it! Mahalo to everyone who helped us identify these new ocean friends. 🩵

If you identified a whale shark tomorrow, what would you name it? 🦈

07/30/2026

Bite me 6 got a nice visitor on their private half day today. Not too many guests get to see one of these up close and personal.

07/27/2026

07/01/2026

🐋 GIVEAWAY ALERT 🐋

We teamed up with our friends at to send ONE lucky winner a Whale Shark Mask, Snorkel & Belt Set! 🤿

Here’s the catch: every entry and share helps us raise a little more awareness for whale sharks right here in Hawaii. You get beautiful new gear, the ocean gets a little more love and the more people who know about these gentle giants, the more we can do to protect them. 🌊

HOW TO ENTER:
1️⃣ Follow +
2️⃣ Like this post
3️⃣ Comment with the ocean creature you’d most love to encounter in the wild
✨ Bonus entry: share this to your Story and tag us both

Giveaway closes July 8th, 2026, 11:59pm HST. Winner chosen at random and announced in our stories shortly after. We will also DM you in case you miss it! Open to U.S. shipping only. Good luck!

mahalo to for the stunning photography and for being our model

06/16/2026

NOW LIVE: Track Hawaiʻi’s Whale Sharks! 🗺️

Have you ever wondered where the whale sharks of our waters travel? We are incredibly thrilled to announce a brand new interactive tracking map is officially live on our website!

Through collaborative telemetry research, this map allows you to follow along with the movements and real-time paths of tracked whale sharks across the Hawaiian Islands. It is an amazing tool for ocean lovers, schools, educators, and community scientists to see how these incredible animals navigate our waters.

Our mission is to better understand their migration, habitat use, and seasonal patterns so we can advocate for their long-term protection.

Want to follow their journeys? Head to the link in our bio to explore the live interactive map!

A massive mahalo to our research partners, supporters, and community contributors who make mapping these uncharted paths possible. Special thanks to , , , and for their support of this project.

We would also like to extend our deepest gratitude to the countless volunteers who helped make this project possible and continue to support our research efforts every day. Your dedication, time, and passion are at the heart of everything we do. 🩵

Funded by Ninmah Trust.

06/09/2026

NEW OCEAN FRIEND ✨🐋

We have a brand new individual in our research database! Meet Grammie, HI-Rt-509, a beautiful whale shark recently documented off Hawai’i island!

A massive mahalo to citizen scientists Mikey Lynch and Andy McQuade for capturing and sharing this incredible encounter with us.

Let’s keep exploring! 💙

06/08/2026

Happy World Oceans Day from all of us at Hawaii Uncharted Research Collective! 🌊🐋

Here in Hawaiʻi, the ocean isn’t just a beautiful backdrop…it’s a vast, deeply interconnected ecosystem that supports life both beneath the surface and along our shores. For our team, today isn’t just about celebrating the magic of the sea, it’s a reminder of why we dedicate ourselves to marine conservation, citizen science, and shark advocacy every single day.

From monitoring and tracking our local whale shark populations to studying the health of our reefs, our mission is to better understand these incredible species so we can help protect them for generations to come.

But true conservation isn’t a solo mission! Every piece of data contributed, every community conversation, and every choice to protect our waters makes a massive difference.

Today, we want to say a huge mahalo to our incredible community of ocean lovers, researchers, and citizen scientists who stand alongside us. Let’s keep working together to keep our oceans wild and healthy. 💙

05/20/2026

05/20/2026

05/18/2026

🌊🦈 Whale shark watch is underway again today!

Our team is back out on the water continuing research and monitoring efforts with support from , and !We’re incredibly grateful for the collaboration and community that help make this work possible and keep conservation efforts moving forward.

If you see a whale shark, send us your photos, videos, and sighting details! Reports from the community are a vital part of our citizen science program and help us track, study, and protect these gentle giants.

Thank you to everyone who supports our mission, shares sightings, and helps spread awareness for whale shark conservation. Your support truly helps make every sighting count. 💙