Dayna Garland

Oct 10 2018

Whale Tales 2019

Whale Tales brings together marine experts and thousands of residents and visitors from around the world each year. Each year since 2006, world-renowned presenters have joined the Whale Trust research team on Maui to collaborate and share the latest findings on humpback whales and their environment. Over four days, scientists, photographers, filmmakers and conservationists join the public for a memorable weekend of engaging talks, receptions and exciting whale watches. In 2019, Whale Tales will be held February 15-18 at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua. Stay tuned for the detailed program and schedule of events. Early registration and benefit whale watch tickets coming soon!

Whale Tales has raised more than $650,000 in 12 years for whale research in Hawaii! All proceeds from the Whale Tales event are distributed to selected beneficiary organizations and students to support whale research in Hawaii through the Whale Tales Beneficiaries Program.

Corporate and individual sponsors are critical to bringing this world-class event to Maui each year. Be a part of the continuing success of Whale Tales as a sponsor!

Whale Tales is an esteemed marine-science event among whale researchers and enthusiasts around the world. The annual event, hosted by Whale Trust, was established in 2006 to bridge the information gap between scientists working in the field and the public. Researchers, photographers, filmmakers and conservationists collaborate together to share and to help raise money to support ongoing research and education.

Partnering with Whale Trust as a Whale Tales Sponsor emphasizes your commitment to the future of our oceans. As a Whale Trust partner, we are happy to tailor sponsorship benefits to your business objectives or individual needs. See page 6 for 2019 sponsorship benefits. Your sponsorship contract will allow you to select which benefits best suit your needs as a sponsoring partner.

View Sponsorship Opportunities
PDF | Online

Become a Whale Tales 2019 Sponsor

Jun 11 2018

Whale Trust 2017-2018 Research Season Recap

The Whale Trust research team spent 87 days on the water this season:

Identifying 116 whales, with 12 confirmed matches to our catalog from previous years.
Collecting 8 tissue samples for hormone analysis to help understand the mating and birthing cycle on the breeding grounds.
Recording 20 different singers during three periods of the season – January, February, and March to study how the song changes over the season.
Capturing hundreds of photographs and hours of video footage for analysis of natural behavior. Highlights of the season included a nursing calf with its mother and a single female joined by two competitive males.

STORIES FROM THE FIELD

PC: Ralph Pace. Photo obtained under NMFS permit #19225.

So Great to See You Again!

Meagan Jones, PhD and Haley Robb

Our team was thrilled to have several matches this season including:

A match with a female documented in the Alaska humpbacks catalog and last seen in 2004.
A match to a humpback documented in the Gulf of Alaska in 2006.
A match to our Whale Trust catalog of a female whale last seen in 2003 when she was paired with a male. This year, she was spotted as part of a competitive group!

PC: Flip Nicklin/Minden Pictures. Photo obtained under NMFS permit #987.

Sing to Me

Jim Darling, PhD

During the winter a total of 20 different singers were recorded. The season was divided into three periods; early (January), mid (February) and late (March) with 6, 7, and 7 singers recorded in each period respectively. Our objective is to determine if there is more similarity of song within each period than between the periods. This study compares songs sung at different times in one location to determine if the song provides an acoustic identity to whales that are present at any one time.

Pregnant? Mating?

Jim Darling and Meagan Jones

We collected tissue samples from 8 female humpbacks this season. We are interested in determining if the adult females paired with males were pregnant (and about to give birth) or not pregnant and about to mate. Pregnancy can be determined by analysis of the hormone levels in the blubber portion of the sample. On the one hand we will be surprised if these females are pregnant – while on the other hand, if they are not pregnant where are the mothers-to-be?

A Moment in Time

Flip Nicklin, Jason Sturgis, and Ralph Pace

A highlight of the season was a rarely observed interaction between a cow and calf. Both animals were very relaxed and the mother kept bringing the calf near the boat. While in the water documenting their behavior, we noticed the calf opening its mouth – not something that you see all the time. The calf then moved from the back of the mother up to her head and started opening and closing its mouth right beside her head. Then the mother completely stopped and the calf went to the nipple of the cow and began to nurse. You could see the calf tucked in under its mother and white milk seeping out from the sides of its mouth. It was magnificent to witness this first hand. Not only was it incredible to see nursing from a very comfortable cow and calf, it was remarkable to see the calf opening its mouth right in front of its mother. There are many possible interpretations of this behavior and we are left with more questions than answers.

Emerging Scientists

After completing her Bachelor of Science in marine biology last year, Haley Robb joined the Whale Trust Research Team as an intern throughout the 2017-18 research season. It has been incredible to work with Haley and watch as she pursued her passion. She helped capture ID photos and documentation through extensive field notes. Haley shares, “From as long as I can remember I have been fascinated with marine life. As middle school student, I was able to attend Whale Quest (Whale Tales), a wonderful event put on by Whale Trust serving to bridge the gap between research and local communities. Whale Trust has been an extremely influential part of my decision to become a marine biologist. Through their educational programs, many opportunities were created for me.” Haley has spent the off-season working on data analysis and ID matching and plans to join the team again during 2018-19 season!

Solitary Female

Flip Nicklin, Jason Sturgis, and Ralph Pace

We were out on the water in February and came across a single whale about 2 miles off Olawalu. We could see that the animal wasn’t too deep so we decided to slip over the side and get some footage and shoot some stills. After diving under the animal, we could see that it was a female. It is a rarity to see a female all by herself. We spent the better part of an hour with her when she was joined by a male with white pecs. There were some interesting social sounds being vocalized but it was impossible to tell who they were coming from. The white pec male had not been with her long when another male came in and displaced the white pec escort. Things then escalated into a mini-active group but the female was quite content to stay put and let the action revolve around her. It was wonderful to see that whole sequence from the beginning — not something that we get to witness very often.

PC: Flip Nicklin/Minden Pictures. Photo obtained under NMFS permit #19225.

Citizen Science Meets Research Photography

Meagan Jones, PhD and Cathy Maxwell, PhD (Whale Trust Board Member)

Happywhale tracks individual whales throughout our world’s oceans and believes that whale watching guides, naturalists, and passengers are vital to our understanding of whales. Scientists can only be in one place at one time; by harnessing the power of millions of whale watching enthusiasts, we can expand our scientific knowledge exponentially. Whale Trust is supporting the educational outreach of (Link) Happywhale by contributing to the online catalog. We love seeing matches come through and Whale Trust has now contributed more than half of the whale IDs in the catalog! Learn more and submit your photos next season at Happywhale.org!

Ed Lyman / HIHWNMS / NOAA Fisheries Permit #782-1719 (Original image has been altered to include Wave Glider)

Listen!

Jim Darling, PhD and Beth Goodwin (Jupiter Foundation)

Whale Trust is pleased to be a partner on Jupiter Foundation’s HUMPACS project. An unmanned wave glider recently returned from an unprecedented 3-month mission to listen for humpback whales in the deep ocean basin between Hawaii and Mexico. The mission provided more than 2000 hours of recordings for analysis. Stay tuned for results and in the meantime, learn more about the wave glider on the HUMPACS page.

Oct 17 2017

Whales are Back!

Photo obtained under N.M.F.S. permit #987

The first humpback whales of the season have been sighted in the waters off Maui!

by Deb Caswell, Whale Trust Board Member

Over the winter months, approximately 10,000 to 12,000 whales are expected to arrive in the Hawaiian Islands after a 4-6 week migration from their feeding grounds in the north Pacific. Humpback whales do not all arrive at the same time. Instead, their arrival is staggered and their length of stay depends on several factors including age and sex. Research has shown that adult males tend to stay the longest and females without calves the shortest. While humpbacks in Hawaii have been reported in every month of the year, they are rarely sighted before the beginning of the breeding/calving season in early fall (September/October). Their numbers reach a peak in mid-winter and taper off by late spring.

Most humpback whales summering in the northern waters of the Pacific Ocean head south to warmer sub-tropical waters during winter months. Breeding and birthing are thought to occur while in the warmer waters. Most of the these migrating humpbacks seem to come to the waters around the Hawaiian Islands (estimates of just over 50%). Since most were born in Hawaiian waters, they are coming “home” for the season. Their arrival is continuous over the winter months with peak populations occurring mid-January to mid-March. Certain groups seem to arrive at different times with young juveniles being the among the first. Overall, humpback whales have been sighted as early as late August and as late as July. It is estimated that males may stay in warmer waters about three months, a female who becomes pregnant may head north more quickly, and moms who calve may stay about six weeks, until their calf is strong enough to begin the journey north.

Over the past few years, our researchers have observed changes in migration patterns, with noticeably fewer whales and a breeding season that started later and ended earlier. Whales are an indicator of the health of the oceans. As such, it is imperative that scientists study these apparent changing trends. What might these changes be telling us?

Sep 27 2017

Join us at Whale Tales 2018

We are excited to announce that the dates and location for Whale Tales 2018 have been finalized! Join us February 16-18, 2018 at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua and February 19, 2018 at Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa.

Mark your calendar and plan to join us for an exciting weekend in February! For more information, please visit our new Whale Tales website at www.whaletales.org!

Whale Tales 2018 will feature presentations offered throughout the weekend by world-class presenters from around the globe. Benefit whale watches and other ocean activities will be held each morning, giving all guests the chance to get out on the water and learn firsthand from the presenters. Whale Tales also offers an Art and Education Expo, showcasing a variety of Maui artists, merchandise and non-profits. Together with our presenters, exhibitors, whale watching boats, beneficiaries, sponsors, and guests we are committed to creating a world more knowledgeable about whales.

Experience PRESENTATIONS by world-renowned scientists, photographers, filmmakers and conservationists.
Enjoy benefit WHALE WATCHES and other ocean activities to get out on the water and learn firsthand from the presenters.
Explore the ART AND EDUCATION EXPO, showcasing Maui artists, merchandise and nonprofit organizations.

Oct 05 2016

2017: A Critical Year for Humpbacks in Hawaii

Next year (2017) may go down as one of the most critical years for humpback whale research in Hawaii in the last fifty years. For the first time since 1966 when whaling was deemed illegal in the North Pacific, humpbacks will no longer be considered an endangered species trying to come back from the brink of extinction. While there are many reasons to celebrate this recovery, on the heels of this landmark decision was one of the most abnormal winters on record for humpback whales across the Pacific Ocean.

The decision to delist humpbacks has left many researchers with mixed feelings on how to respond. On the one hand, there is no question that the number of humpbacks has increased substantially in most areas of the world since whaling stopped; and humpbacks will still be protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act in the U.S. On the other hand, the decision does not reflect or indicate that we actually understand the biological, ecological, and social requirements for these populations to continue to recover and thrive in a changing world. Indeed, we are venturing into unchartered territory with no clear grasp on how the complex and changing landscape of their environment will impact populations going forward. All of which is vital to developing and implementing any kind of meaningful conservation and management program.

The winter of 2016, in terms of the sheer number of whales and the behavior of whales on breeding grounds across the North Pacific, was undeniably one of the strangest on record. There were noticeably fewer whales, changes in migration patterns (the breeding season started later and ended earlier), dramatic changes in behavior (less surface activity associated with mating strategies, longer downtimes), and fewer mothers and calves observed. In Hawaii, we speculated that far fewer females had shown up than usual. If indeed this is true, where were they? Did they not migrate as far south as usual? Did they stay on or around the feeding grounds? If so, how has will this affect reproduction going forward?

We have no idea what happened in 2016 or why. One aberrant season does not warrant a crisis. However, what it did emphasize was an almost shocking lack of knowledge about these animals, and the stark recognition of a large gap in current research efforts. Systematic monitoring on the abundance of whales on breeding grounds has become nearly obsolete over the past ten years. Without collecting this kind of consistent baseline data it is impossible to determine just how different from “normal” 2016 really was.

As such, Whale Trust is expanding our core research program to include a systematic monitoring component that will contribute to validating and investigating large-scale changes in abundance and behavior. Our commitment to research on social organization, behavior and communication has not changed – but if nothing else, 2016 told us we need to do more. The change in the endangered species designation of humpbacks makes this responsibility even more compelling.

So why is 2017 so important? It marks the first season of the official ‘recovery’ of the humpback population that ironically coincides with the biggest mystery on humpback status since whaling stopped. Consequently, monitoring breeding populations will be even more vital this coming season than in previous ones. Either the season will be similar to 2016 in which case some critical questions as to the health of the population will arise, or, it will be back to “normal” in which case we will be left wondering what happened – with lingering questions about how sensitive whales are to minor changes in water temperature and what this means in the context of global warming.