The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has awarded a three-year $1.2 million grant to help researchers and the Department of Land and Natural Resources study and protect Hawaii’s endangered false killer whales.

Hawaii is home to three populations of false killer whales, a rare “large toothed whale” whose proper name is Pseudorca.

The grant funding will support a collaborative effort between DLNR, Hawaii Pacific University and Cascadia Research Collective to study and protect the whales.

“With this new funding, the DLNR will now be able to partner with boat-based fishermen who may be sighting and interacting with false killer whales, in order to collect new data and develop new ways to reduce harmful interactions that may be occurring,” said DLNR Chair Suzanne Case.