Organization News

Researchers Observe Sailing Whale off West Maui Coast

(Maui) Whale Trust’s research team captured this footage on February 7th near Olowalu, showing a mom with her head down and pectoral fins out while her young calf circles around. The encounter marks the third time this season that the team has identified the same female humpback whale displaying the rarely observed behavior known as “sailing.” The behavior, in which a whale lifts its tail clear of the water for long periods of time, is common in right whale populations but less common in humpbacks. When humpback whales, especially mothers, in Maui are observed sailing it is not uncommon to observe one individual repeating the behavior pattern within and between seasons. The purpose of sailing is unknown but one idea is that it may help to regulate body temperature.

Haley Robb, a Whale Trust research intern, reports, “The cow held her fluke in the air for 7-10 minutes before floating up, backward, and then resting at the surface for approximately 5 minutes. She then repeated the sailing behavior. We stayed with the cow and calf for two hours and were unable to determine if the calf nursed when the cow was holding this position. During our time with the group, there were two occasions when the cow and calf breached. It was noted that for a least one of the occasions there were other whales within 300 yards of the cow and calf.”

Whale Trust’s research programs focus on exploring the natural communication, behavior patterns, and social organization of whales. Its founders are passionate scientists and explorers who believe that science—the quest for answers to the most intriguing questions about our natural world—lies at the heart of environmental education and conservation. Results from Whale Trust’s field research are the basis for a broad program of outreach and education that involve the public, educators, and a new generation of researchers. As part of Whale Trust’s outreach, the organization hosts Whale Tales, an annual 4-day educational event in West Maui featuring presentations by world-renowned scientists, conservationists, and photographers. The 13th Annual Whale Tales is scheduled for February 15-18, 2019. Learn more at whaletrust.org,

Video: Ralph Pace, Whale Trust. NMFS Permit #19225.

Photo: Ralph Pace/Minden Pictures, Whale Trust. NMFS Permit #19225.

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.

At a Whale’s Pace

With whales spending 90% of their time underwater, one of the biggest challenges for a whale behaviorist is to actually see them! Thanks to your generous support, we are now on the cusp of new discoveries into the underwater social lives of whales on the breeding grounds.

The warm, clear waters of Hawai’i make this one of the best places in the world to study whale behavior. It is one of the few places we can actually observe whales underwater, on the surface and from the air. Many research breakthroughs have come from of this unique natural observatory. However, since whales move faster than a person can swim, our understanding of their behavior is often based on pieced together, fleeting glimpses. Key questions remain – some as fundamental as when and where mating occurs.

To help answer these questions, this winter we will embark on a new project designed to bring together traditional research techniques (individual identification, sound recording and biopsy sampling) with new technologies (unmanned aerial vehicles and a mounted camera jib).

NEW TECHNOLOGY USHERS IN A NEW ERA OF WHALE RESEARCH

With the new accessibility of drones, unprecedented and high-quality aerial views of whale behaviors and interactions are now cost-effective and possible. Our new underwater camera jib, mounted under the boat, allows us to film whales moving at their natural speed. Together, these new tools promise to give us a new window into fast-moving social groups.

Instead of seeing whale behavior in brief moments, we can now capture longer sequences of whale behavior as well as interactions between individual whales. This is a tremendous leap forward—much like the first underwater photographs of whales in the 1970s and 80s, which significantly altered the world’s perception of these animals.

Our challenge is to compile as complete a picture as possible of the behavior patterns occurring in social groups on the breeding grounds. Capturing this in real time will provide a new key to understanding the nature of whales. It also will help set a new foundation of knowledge into humpback behavior for future management and conservation programs.

From the 2016 Whale Trust Maui Newsletter (November 2016). Click here to read more!

Lahainaluna High School – From the Field to the Lab

Lahainaluna students in the field with Whale Trust Maui

Lahainaluna High School seniors are currently working alongside Whale Trust Maui researchers and biophysicists to determine if one day we might be able to determine pregnancy or reproductive cycles in free-ranging humpback whales.

For the last several years, the students have been analyzing tissue and blubber samples collected by Whale Trust Maui researchers to determine the sex of individuals (using DNA from skin samples) and to determine whether we can reliably measure the reproductive status of female humpbacks through hormones stored in the blubber of whales (e.g., estriol, estradiol).

In addition to the students working on the science, videography student, Tihani Cadiam Moore, filmed and produced a video of the student’s experiences and was featured on HIKI NO, the nation’s first statewide student news network on PBS Hawaii.

This ongoing project is part of a science education initiative led by Whale Trust Maui, Makana Aloha Foundation and Lahainaluna High School to provide mentorship opportunities for local students in the marine sciences.

WHALE TALES 2016: A Successful 10th Anniversary Event

Mahalo For Making Our 10th Annual Whale Tales The Best Ever!

Thanks to our generous sponsors, donors, volunteers and participants, we reached our goal and raised over $70,000 for whale research on Maui! Over the past ten years, Whale Tales has raised over HALF A MILLION DOLLARS to support whale research in Hawaii.

MANY THANKS TO OUR WHALE WATCHING SPONSORS

The Jayhawk – Powered by Adventure Quinn
Captain Steve’s Rafting Adventures
Gemini Sailing Charters
Hawaii Ocean Rafting
Maui Adventure Cruises
Ultimate Rafting Adventures
Trilogy Excursions
Lahaina Cruises, Hawaii Ocean Project
Hawaiian Paddle Sports
Maui Kayak Adventures

SCHOOL OUTREACH

Close to five hundred 4th-8th grade Maui students joined our presenters, staff and volunteers at the Whale Tales Children’s Program to learn about current research and methodologies regarding the behavior, conservation and disentanglement of humpback whales. Check out some of the fun below!

Mahalo to the schools, teachers, and students who joined us to participate in the Children’s Program! We are so thankful to the coordinators and volunteers who made this event possible.

PRESENTERS

Mahalo to all of our wonderful presenters who took the time and effort to participate in Whale Tales 2017! Your thoughtful, engaging and insightful presentations were appreciated by all!

Susan Casey
Jim Darling
Beth Goodwin
Ralph Lee Hopkins
Ed Lyman
Greg MacGillivray
John Moran
Chuck Nicklin
Flip Nicklin
Kenneth O’Brien
Fred Sharpe
Jonathan Stern
Olga Von Ziegesar
Marty Wolff

SPONSORS

Whale Trust Maui would like to send a HUGE mahalo to the Makana Aloha Foundation for serving as the backbone of Whale Tales since 2009. Thank you for your support, guidance and leadership, and for being the best partner a non-profit could ask for. Your support and friendship mean the world to us.

One of the highlights of Whale Tales each year is the VIP reception for sponsors and presenters hosted by JoRene and Gunars Valkirs. This year was no exception! We know how much work goes into this event and we cannot be more appreciative.

Many heartfelt mahalos to ALL of our sponsors. Thank you so much for joining our team, supporting our mission, and contributing to the event. It would not happen without you!

For a complete list of sponsors and supporters, click here.

VOLUNTEERS

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of our wonderful volunteers who contributed immensely to the success of Whale Tales. It takes a village, and your positive attitudes and enthusiasm made it all worthwhile! Mahalo for being a part of our ohana!

AUCTION CONTRIBUTORS, ARTISTS & EXHIBITORS

Thank you to all of the Whale Tales silent auction contributors, artists and exhibitors for making this year one of the best ever. Your efforts and donations significantly added to the overall success of the event and we are so grateful.

PHOTO EXPEDITION

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s photo expedition led by Lindblad Expeditions Director of Photography Ralph Lee Hopkins! This sold out expedition was a wonderful new addition to our weeklong lineup. Check back in with us for updates on the 2017 expedition.

All featured photos by Bryan Berkowitz

Whale Tales 2016 Celebrates 10 Years of Supporting Whale Research in Hawai‘i

*Whale Quest 2014 at The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua*

Event runs February 12^th – 15^th, 2016 at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua

(Maui, Hawaii) January 12, 2016 – International whale research organization Whale Trust Maui invites the public to gather in West Maui over Presidents’ Day weekend at the 10^th Annual Whale Tales event, held at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua.

From February 12^th through the 15^th, top international scientists, photographers, filmmakers, and conservationists gather for Whale Tales, a four-day educational and fundraising event, full of presentations, whale watches led by presenters, a film screening, a live auction, and opportunities to network with world-renowned personalities in whale research. The event has attracted over 10,000 whale enthusiasts since 2006, and has raised over $430,000 to date for whale research around Hawaii.

Presentations are free and open to the public on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoons at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, however, a suggested $20.00 per day donation is suggested to support Whale Tales’ beneficiaries. Benefit whale watches with the experts and ocean activities (snorkeling, canoe and kayak trips) are held throughout the weekend, with morning whale watches daily and excursions all day on Presidents’ Day Monday, February 15. All proceeds from the weekend’s activities support whale research happening here in Maui.

“Supporting our colleagues to fulfill their mission is our way of giving back,” said Whale Trust Maui Executive Director, Dr. Meagan Jones Gray. “We hope to exceed the nearly $70,000 we allocated last year to our beneficiaries. If we meet this goal, Whale Tales will have given back over $500,000 in the last ten years to whale research in Hawaii.”

2016 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Thursday, Feb 11

4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Benefit Whale Watch

Friday, February 12
7:30 am – 12:00 pm Benefit Whale Watches
12:30 pm – 5:30 pm Education and Art Expo
2:00 pm – 5:30 pm Presentations* & Book Signing with Chuck Nicklin

Saturday, February 13
7:30 am – 12:30 pm Benefit Whale Watches
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm Education and Art Expo
12:00pm – 12:30pm Special Series: Films from the Field presented by Hawaii Whale Research Foundation
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Presentations*

Sunday, February 14
7:30 am – 12:00 pm Benefit Whale Watches
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm Education and Art Expo
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Presentations*
3:30 pm Maui Premiere of Humpback Whales Presented by MacGillivray Freeman Films Followed by Q and A

Monday, February 15
7:30am – 6:30 pm Benefit Whale Watches

* To support the beneficiaries of Whale Tales, please consider a $20 suggested attendance donation per day

PRESENTER LINEUP:

Susan Casey, Best Selling Author
Dr. Jim Darling, Whale Trust Maui
Beth Goodwin, Jupiter Research Foundation
Ralph Lee Hopkins, Lindblad Expeditions
Ed Lyman, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary
Greg MacGillivray, MacGillivray Freeman Films
John Moran, Gulf Watch Alaska
Chuck Nicklin, Award Winning Cinematographer
Flip Nicklin, Whale Trust Maui, National Geographic
Kenneth O’Brien, Alaska Whale Foundation
Dr. Fred Sharpe, Alaska Whale Foundation
Dr. Jonathan Stern, San Francisco State University
Olga von Ziegesar, Eye of the Whale
Marty Wolff, Marty Wolff Photography

“The Future of Whale Research”
Up and Coming Whale Research from the Next Generation, featuring:
Yaiyr Astudillo-Scalia, Arizona State University, Whale Trust Maui
Merra Howe, University of Hawaii Manoa, Oceanwide Science Institute
Mauricio Cantor and Lauren Shoemaker, Dalhousie University and University of Colorado, Boulder

With Special Guests:
Jason Sturgis, Whale Trust Maui
Dr. Meagan Jones Gray, Whale Trust Maui
Dr. Rachel Cartwright, The Keiki Kohola Project
Dr. Marc Lammers, Oceanwide Science Institute
…. and more!

Featured Artists and Photographers:
Douglas Hoffman Photography
Evan Schauss Glass Art
Marty Wolff Photography
The Whales of Randy Puckett
Sherri Reeve Designs
…. and more!

The 2016 Beneficiaries of Whale Tales include:

Hawaii Whale Research Foundation
Keiki Kohola Project
Large Whale Disentanglement Program, National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
Oceanwide Science Institute
Whale Trust Maui

Event highlights include:

Maui premiere of the new IMAX film, Humpback Whales, which was filmed largely on Maui and features several research groups, including Whale Trust Maui. This is the only chance to see this film on Maui.
Showcasing new research highlighting the long-term social relationships that humpback whales form in feeding grounds (30+ years!) and new insights into the relationships of individual whales from Alaska and Hawaii;
Footage of recently published research illustrating humpback whales guarding seals and other species from attacks by killer whales;
New research looking at how the humpback whale song travels and changes over space and time — across the Pacific Ocean — from the Philippines and Japan to Hawaii to Mexico;
Retrospective of the career of Emmy Award-winning underwater cinematographer and photographer, Chuck Nicklin, accompanying the release of his new book,Camera Man, which details his 60+ year career in underwater photography, diving, and filmmaking (The Abyss, For Your Eyes Only, Never Say Never Again).
Featuring best-selling author Susan Casey, sharing stories from her new book, Voices in the Ocean
New revelations about how recovering humpback populations are affecting the environment;
New research into the history of whaling in Hawaiian waters.

Whale Trust Maui is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to whale research and education. Funds raised at Whale Tales support whale research efforts in the Hawaiian Islands. This annual event has raised over $430,000 for whale research on Maui since its debut in 2006.

The 10th Annual Whale Tales is made possible through the generous support of many individuals and organizations. This year’s major event sponsors are Makana Aloha Foundation, Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, Lindblad-National Geographic Expeditions, Deborah & Michael Rybak, Nancy & Hamilton Harris, The Aloha Quartet, and William Kronenberg III.

Whale Watch companies donating tours for Whale Tales participants include: Jayhawk Yachts, Captain Steve’s Rafting Adventures, Gemini Sailing Charters, Hawaii’i Ocean Rafting, Maui Adventure Cruises, Ultimate Rafting Adventures, Trilogy Excursions, Lahaina Cruises, Maui Ocean Project, Maui Kayak Adventures, and Hawaiian Paddle Sports.

Whale Tales 2016 sponsorship packages and VIP passes, which include premium seating, private reception tickets, and a complimentary whale watch with Flip Nicklin ($500 and above). Other whale watches can be purchased in advance at www.whaletrust.org or by calling (808) 572-5700.

For more information, visit www.whaletrust.org. The Whale Tales 2016 Facebook event – with latest updates – is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/965187936860396/

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About Whale Trust Maui:

Whale Trust Maui is a Maui-based non-profit organization whose mission is to promote, support, and conduct scientific research on whales and the marine environment, and broadly communicate the findings to the public. Its founders are passionate scientists and explorers who believe that science—the quest for answers to the most intriguing questions about our natural world—lies at the heart of environmental education and conservation. Whale Trust Maui’s research programs focus on exploring the natural communication, behavior patterns, and social organization of whales. But Whale Trust Maui seeks to do more than fund groundbreaking field research on our earth’s largest marine mammals. Results from Whale Trust Maui’s field research are the basis for a broader program of outreach and education that involve the public, educators, and a new generation of researchers whom Whale Trust Maui hopes to inspire. For more information, visit www.whaletrust.org

About Whale Tales:
Whale Tales is a four-day educational event, full of presentations, receptions, whale watches led by presenters, and opportunities to network with world- renowned personalities in whale research. The event is hosted annually by Whale Trust Maui, a non-profit dedicated to whale research and education. Funds raised at Whale Tales support whale research efforts in the Hawaiian Islands. This year is the 10th Annual Whale Tales event, held at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua from February 12-15, 2016.