scubaseason

Hawaiian spinner dolphin

Stenella longirostris longirostris

Sighting evidence at First Cathedral, Lanai

Spinner dolphins use the calm, sheltered waters off Lanai's leeward coast as their primary daytime resting habitat in Maui County, gathering in groups of 50 to 200 animals after nightly offshore feeding forays. At First Cathedral, small groups enter the cave's tunnel entrances in the early morning, their echolocation clicks audible throughout the chamber in a way that is rarely experienced anywhere else in Hawaii. Federal marine mammal regulations prohibit swimmers from actively pursuing or intercepting spinner dolphin resting groups — but dolphins at this site are habituated to dive boats and sometimes approach in genuine curiosity.

Evidence at this site

No confirmed records on file at this site

Hawaiian spinner dolphin is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.

How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.

Also seen at other sites