Sunken whaling ship from the 1800s found in Hawaiian waters

188 years ago, in the night on February 11, 1823, the whaling ship Two Brothers was cruising in the waters of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands when it suddenly slammed into a shallow reef. The boat’s hull split open and the vessel sank quickly. Today, on February 11, 2011, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced the discovery of the Two Brothers shipwreck in waters surrounding the French Frigate Shoals, which... [Read more]

Hawaiian hoary bat could become Hawaii’s official land mammal

The Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus) is considered to be Hawaii’s only native (endemic) land mammal, meaning that it can’t be found anywhere else in the world. The Senate Hawaiian Affairs Committee passed a bill 7-0 on February 8, 2011, that recognizes the endangered bat. It could become the official land mammal for the state of Hawaii. While the Hawaiian monk seal is Hawaii’s state mammal and looks a lot cuter to many... [Read more]