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First documented tiger shark mating hub identified by UH researchers

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First documented tiger shark mating hub identified by UH researchers


OLOWALU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A team of shark researchers from the University of Hawaii at Manoa have solved a longstanding mystery.

Biologists from the the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology Shark Lab have identified the first-ever documented tiger shark mating hub.

Six years of acoustic tracking data led the team to pinpoint the area at Olowalu, Maui, leading them to new discoveries about the nature and timing of tiger shark mating and its correlation to Maui’s whale calving season.

This new finding challenges the understanding of tiger sharks as purely solitary animals.

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“To our knowledge, no group mating site for tiger sharks has ever been identified. This paper adds an important piece to the puzzle of tiger shark reproduction,” said Carl Meyer, co-author of the study and principal investigator of the HIMB Shark Lab.

Researchers were able to show evidence that tiger sharks have a predictable seasonal gathering of mature males and females that coincides with humpback whale calving season in Hawaii.

Until this discovery, it was unclear how or if tiger sharks came together to reproduce or if mating was just a result of random encounters.

“Tiger sharks typically roam widely in what can seem like random patterns, so finding such a strong and consistent seasonal trend in their movements around Maui was unexpected,” said Paige Wernli, lead author of the study and a graduate student in the HIMB Shark Lab.

The years-long tracking data showed a predictable seasonal presence of both mature male and female tiger sharks at Olowalu, as well as physical evidence of mating activity.

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The apparent mating hub happens during the time of year when humpback whale mothers and newborn calves arrive in the area.

The Shark Lab team says the correlation could mean that the sharks are positioning themselves near foraging opportunities, like vulnerable calves or placental falls.

“Mating and foraging on humpback whales may not be mutually exclusive,” Wernli said. “And both could influence tiger shark movement patterns in Hawaii.”

The tiger shark gatherings they observed were not dense but rather diffuse, spanning several kilometers over multiple months.

“This study expands our knowledge of tiger shark mating and challenges our conventional understanding of the term ‘gathering,’” said Meyer. “Together, the results suggest that both reproduction and food availability play key roles in shaping tiger shark movements in Hawaii.”

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During the six-year study, the team was able to safely catch and implant transmitters in large sharks, then keep a vast network of underwater listening stations across the main Hawaiian Islands.

In the future, the Shark Lab team plans to use tags with cameras and other data collecting capabilities to document both their mating behaviors and shark-whale interactions.

This work was funded by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System.



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Hawaii County Surf Forecast for March 04, 2026 | Big Island Now

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Hawaii County Surf Forecast for March 04, 2026 | Big Island Now


Forecast for Big Island Windward and Southeast


Shores Tonight Wednesday
Surf Surf
PM AM AM PM
North Facing 2-4 2-4 2-4 2-4
East Facing 3-5 4-6 4-6 5-7
South Facing 1-3 1-3 1-3 1-3
TONIGHT
Weather Mostly cloudy. Numerous showers.
Low Temperature In the upper 60s.
Winds East winds 5 to 10 mph.
Tides
Hilo Bay High 1.9 feet 03:26 PM HST.
Low -0.1 feet 09:20 PM HST.
High 2.4 feet 03:40 AM HST.
WEDNESDAY
Weather Partly sunny. Numerous showers.
High Temperature In the upper 70s.
Winds East winds 10 to 15 mph.
Tides
Hilo Bay Low -0.1 feet 10:00 AM HST.
High 2.0 feet 04:04 PM HST.
Sunrise 6:37 AM HST.
Sunset 6:27 PM HST.

Forecast for Big Island Leeward


Shores Tonight Wednesday
Surf Surf
PM AM AM PM
West Facing 2-4 2-4 2-4 1-3
South Facing 1-3 1-3 1-3 1-3
TONIGHT
Weather Mostly sunny until 6 PM, then mostly
cloudy. Hazy.
Low Temperature In the upper 60s.
Winds West winds around 5 mph early in the
afternoon, becoming light and variable.
Tides
Kona High 1.5 feet 04:04 PM HST.
Low -0.1 feet 09:57 PM HST.
High 1.9 feet 04:18 AM HST.
Kawaihae High 1.4 feet 04:36 PM HST.
Low -0.1 feet 10:20 PM HST.
High 1.9 feet 04:38 AM HST.
WEDNESDAY
Weather Partly sunny. Hazy.
High Temperature In the mid 80s.
Winds Light and variable winds, becoming west
around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tides
Kona Low -0.1 feet 10:37 AM HST.
High 1.6 feet 04:42 PM HST.
Kawaihae Low -0.2 feet 11:01 AM HST.
High 1.6 feet 05:13 PM HST.
Sunrise 6:41 AM HST.
Sunset 6:31 PM HST.

The current moderate northwest swell will continue a gradual decline through Thursday. A small west-northwest swell will arrive on Friday and hold through the weekend, followed by a small north-northwest swell early next week. Choppy east shore surf will build to near seasonal average by Wednesday as trade winds strengthen over and east of the islands. Little change is expected along east facing shores through the weekend, followed by a possible decline early next week if winds veer southerly. Surf along south facing shores will remain small to tiny through the weekend, and some islands may an increase in choppy surf if southerly winds develop early next week.

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NORTH EAST

am        pm  

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD

Surf: Minimal (ankle high or less) surf.

Conditions: Semi choppy with ESE winds 5-10mph in the morning increasing to 10-15mph in the afternoon.

NORTH WEST

am        pm  

Surf: Minimal (ankle high or less) surf.

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ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD

Conditions: Clean in the early morning with ESE winds less than 5mph. Bumpy/semi bumpy conditions move in during the morning hours with the winds shifting W 5-10mph.

WEST

am        pm  

Surf: Minimal (ankle high or less) surf.

Conditions: Semi glassy in the morning with N winds less than 5mph. Bumpy/semi bumpy conditions for the afternoon with the winds shifting WNW 5-10mph.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD

SOUTH EAST

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am        pm  

Surf: Minimal (ankle high or less) surf.

Conditions: Light sideshore texture in the morning with NE winds 10-15mph. This becomes Sideshore texture/chop for the afternoon.

Data Courtesy of NOAA.gov and SwellInfo.com



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Hawaii delegation continues to blast U.S. attack on Iran | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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Hawaii delegation continues to blast U.S. attack on Iran | Honolulu Star-Advertiser




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Blood moon to dazzle Hawaii skies tonight

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Blood moon to dazzle Hawaii skies tonight

























Blood moon to dazzle Hawaii skies tonight | Local | kitv.com

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