Whale Trust Maui Blog

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 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

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.

Is The Ocean Blue? Not to whales.

By Jim Maxwell, Ph.D.

ONE FISH, TWO FISH, RED FISH, BLUE FISH!

We don’t know if whales can count but we do know they can’t tell one color of fish from another. Whales are color blind. Why cetaceans are color blind remains somewhat of a mystery. Except for some nocturnal species, virtually all land mammals have color vision and, presumably, so did the ancient ancestors of whales from which they evolved (the closest living animal to the whale is the semi-aquatic hippopotamus). The lack of color vision in cetaceans must have occurred early in their evolutionary development because all cetaceans studied so far, whether toothed or baleen, have been found to be essentially color blind. Interestingly, pinnipeds (seals) are also color blind. Since seals and whales are not closely related, scientist think that the loss of color vision must have served some advantage millions of years ago when their ancestors lived in coastal environments.

In order to understand color vision in whales, it helps to know a little bit about how the visual system works in humans and most other mammals. The retina in the back of the eye contains two types of light receptors, cones and rods, that convert light energy into electrical signals that can be further processed by the brain. Cones are active in the light and are responsible for color vision and the perception of detail. Rods are much more sensitive to light and take over for the cones in dim light but rods are typically not involved in color vision.

Most land mammals have two types of cones. One type of cone is most sensitive to the red-green part of the color spectrum (long to medium wavelengths of light) and the other is most sensitive to the blue (short wavelength) part of the spectrum. Somewhere along the line, most odontocetes (toothed whales) and seals, through genetic mutations, lost the functionality of short-wavelength-sensitive receptors (S-cones) leaving them with only the long to medium wavelength cones (L-cones) and rods. Because the brain relies on a comparison of the signals coming from different types of cones to produce the perception of color, having only one cone type leaves these marine mammals essentially color blind, or, “L-cone monochromats” in the jargon of vision science.

Studies within the past five years have indicated that many, and possibly even all, mysticetes (baleen whales) have not only lost the functionality of S-cones but the functionality of L-cones as well, making them totally reliant on rod photoreceptors for vision (and hence called “rod monochromats”). Rod monochromacy is rare in terrestrial mammals and results in very poor eyesight. By comparison, humans and many other primates have very good color vision having three types of cones. Most other mammals (and color-blind humans) have only two types of cones and consequently cannot distinguish red from green. We do not have the best color discrimination in the animal kingdom by any means. Some reptiles, including some species of turtles, birds and fish have four types of cones and can see into the ultraviolet part of the spectrum not normally visible to humans.

Needless to say, whales do have functional vision even if it is in shades of gray, it’s just that they rely more on contrast than on color. How well whales see is hard to determine with any precision but it is certainly much inferior to the average human. The acuity of cetaceans, that is, their ability to discern detail, has been studied in trained dolphins and has also been estimated in several other species of toothed and baleen whales by examining the anatomy of their eyes and retinas. But that is a story for another blog.

Updated 4/5/2018

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?

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.