Coronavirus safety precautions forced organizers to change their tactics for today’s start of the annual whale count coordinated by the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and the Pacific Whale Foundation, but the whales didn’t seem to notice.

Site leaders collected data from 43 sites on four islands, with a total of 177 whale sightings seen between 9 and 9:15 a.m., the most of any time period throughout the day’s count, according to a news release.

The sanctuary’s Ocean Count on Hawaii island, Oahu and Kauai and the Maui-based foundation’s Great Whale Count take place three times during peak whale season on the last Saturdays in January, February and March.

The events, which usually draw hundreds of volunteers, were modified this year, with each shoreline observation post monitored by trained site leaders working individually or as a couple. A total of 68 site leaders were involved, tallying whale sightings over 15-minute intervals and documenting the animals’ surface behavior.

On Hawaii island, Oahu and Kauai, Ocean Count site leaders collected data from 31 sites, the release said. The most whale sightings — 125 — were seen during the 9-to-9:15 a.m. period. On Maui, site leaders collected data at 12 sites, with the most sightings — 71 — from 10:30 to 10:45 a.m.

A variety of other species were spotted during the count, including green sea turtles, Hawaiian monk seals, spinner dolphins and seabirds.

Find more information on the Sanctuary Ocean Count website at oceancount.org. Learn more about the Great Whale Count at pacificwhale.org.