Two humpback whales (Megaptera novaengliae) surfacing directly beneath a boat. The State of Hawaii's official marine mammal, the humpback whale, is protected by 3 federal laws: the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Marine Sanctuaries Act. Today, the species is still endangered with North Pacific whale population estimates between 3000 to 5000 animals. (photo: National Marine Fisheries Service)