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Pacific Whale Foundation protecting the 🐋🐬 through science and advocacy
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Pacific Whale Foundation is a non-profit organization supported by our members and award-winning Eco-Adventures. Our mission is to protect oceans and marine life through science and advocacy. Join us for Whale and Dolphin Watching, Molokini, Lanai and Turtle Arches Snorkeling, Sunset and Dinner Cruises, along with specialty cruises such as Full Moon, Stargazing, Island Rhythms Sunset Cocktail Cruise and Private Charters.

10/15/2026

PWF Chief Scientist Jens Currie and Ecuador Programs Director Cristina Castro head to San Juan for the Society for Marine Mammalogy’s 26th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals.

SMM brings together marine mammal scientists from around the world every two years, and this one is historic. It’s the first SMM biennial conference held in Latin America, recognizing the region’s key role in marine mammal science and conservation. The theme, “One Ocean, One Future,” is a call for stronger global partnerships, innovative research, and timely, evidence-based action for healthy oceans.

On Tuesday, October 20, Cristina presents the first genetic characterization of Bryde’s whales in Ecuadorian waters. The work points to a distinct population with low genetic diversity, which matters for how these whales are managed and protected.

On Friday, October 23, Jens presents research on body condition in endangered false killer whales, and how changes in a whale’s condition could serve as an early warning for survival risk before a population starts to decline.

Follow along here for updates from the conference, October 19 to 23.

Members of our research team from Hawai‘i and Ecuador are heading to Puerto Rico for the Society for Marine Mammalogy co...
10/14/2026

Members of our research team from Hawai‘i and Ecuador are heading to Puerto Rico for the Society for Marine Mammalogy conference this week. We will share what we’re learning, get feedback from others doing similar work, and look for opportunities to collaborate.

10/12/2026

Our research team came across a very rare sighting – a possible melon-headed whale in a group of 10 short-finned pilot whales. The question is… are they friends or foe?
 
Past research by PWF showed interactions between these two species as the latter. Multiple melon-headed whales were seen antagonizing the short-finned pilot whales through increased vocalizations, body checking, encircling, and attempted biting. However, this most recent encounter seemed friendly as the outsider fit right in with the short-finned pilot whales by swimming and diving in sync.
 
We may never know whether this was a friend or foe, but it was a rare encounter indeed!
 
Research activities authorized under NMFS/MMPA ESA permit #27099. The UAS pilot holds FAA Part 107 authorization.

10/08/2026

The last time the Pacific looked like it does right now, humpback whale survival off Hawaiʻi fell from nearly 99 out of 100 whales to just 68.
 
Those conditions are back. A super El Niño is strengthening, and Pacific waters are the warmest ever recorded. Warm surface water shuts down upwelling, the process that feeds the ocean, so there’s less phytoplankton, fewer krill, and fewer fish. That’s the food source whales depend on.
 
Hawaii’s whales feed all summer in the north pacific, then fast through their whole breeding season here off Maui. A lean feeding year means they arrive already weakened, and calves and nursing mothers are hit hardest. Last time, the population dropped by roughly 37%.
 
Our researchers are watching closely this season, because understanding what’s coming is how we protect them through it. 💙

It’s not every day that we see uncommon species like short-finned pilot whales… but it is even more rare to see them int...
10/07/2026

It’s not every day that we see uncommon species like short-finned pilot whales… but 
it is even more rare to see them interacting with their smaller cousins the 
melon-headed whale.
 
Our research team ventured into the offshore waters of Lānaʻi where deep diving marine mammals exist. After processing their camera and drone footage from the day, one individual looked a bit different from the rest. Closer inspection led the team to identify the animal as a possible melon-headed whale. This species is much smaller, lighter, and has a more pointed head compared to the short-finned pilot whale.
 
Encounters like this provide insight into interspecies interactions that are rarely documented. There’s always a small chance to see something new here in the Pacific Ocean which keeps the research team on their toes!
 
Research activities authorized under NMFS/MMPA ESA permit #27099. The UAS pilot holds FAA Part 107 authorization

10/05/2026

The 🐋 whales are coming home and we’re back hosting the First Whale Sighting Contest! Predict the date and time you think the first humpback whale of the season will be spotted in Maui Nui, from any private or commercial vessel or from shore. The closest prediction wins whalewatch tickets for two with PacWhale Eco-Adventures.
Here’s how to enter:
• Be sure you’re following Pacific Whale Foundation and PacWhale Eco-Adventures
• Like this post
• Go to the link in our bio (or link below)
Wishing all entrants oceans of good luck!
The contest begins today, Oct. 5, 2026, at 10 a.m. HST and closes when the first whale is spotted. Predictions should be in HST. One prediction per person. Entrants must be at least 18 years old and live in the U.S. The first sighting must be confirmed by a news report, and the date and time of the sighting to determine the winner. The winner will be contacted only by email from a .org address. The excursion must be redeemed within one calendar year of acceptance. Airfare and lodging are not included. No purchase necessary. This contest is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram or Facebook.
Entry Form: https://secure.pacificwhale.org/forms/first-whale-sighting

How well do you know false killer whales? Swipe through the quiz above and see how you score. Despite the name, they are...
10/01/2026

How well do you know false killer whales? Swipe through the quiz above and see how you score. Despite the name, they aren’t killer whales. They’re one of the larger members of the dolphin family. Hawaiʻi also has its own resident population, found around the main Hawaiian Islands and nowhere else. That population is listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. You can help protect them. Sign the petition to [specific ask] at the link in our bio. What else do you want to know about false killer whales? Ask in the comments and our research team may answer in a future post.

All photos taken under research permits NMFS/MMPA ESA #16479, #21321, #27099

Right now, the Pacific Ocean is the warmest it has ever been recorded, and Hawaiʻi’s humpback whales have already shown ...
09/29/2026

Right now, the Pacific Ocean is the warmest it has ever been recorded, and Hawaiʻi’s humpback whales have already shown us what warming water can do. During the 2013–2016 marine heatwave, amplified by a super El Niño, annual survival among our humpbacks fell from nearly 99 out of 100 whales to about 68, and the population dropped by roughly a third. A crash that big can hide inside a long-term average that still looks “stable”, which is exactly why decades of tracking matter. Since 1980, Pacific Whale Foundation researchers have identified individual whales by their tail flukes and followed them season after season. Now, another super El Niño is strengthening across the Pacific, and our team is ready to get on the water to document how these whales respond, so we can protect them with evidence, not guesswork. 

Download PDF to learn more
https://pacificwhale.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Barber-Meyer-2026-humpback-trends-1.pdf

There are 14 recognized populations of humpback whales around the world. These include populations in the North Pacific ...
09/29/2026

There are 14 recognized populations of humpback whales around the world. These include populations in the North Pacific (such as those off Hawai‘i, Mexico, and Central America), the North Atlantic (breeding in the Caribbean and Cape Verde, and feeding in areas like the Gulf of Maine, Norway, and Iceland), and the Southern Hemisphere (including East Australia, West Australia, Oceania, Southeast Africa, Southwest Africa, Brazil, Gabon, the South Pacific, and the Arabian Sea). These populations are geographically separated but, in rare cases, an individual will leave one population and join another.

Part two Photo-ID: How many individuals did you guess? The solution is: all three images show the same individual! Dorsa...
09/25/2026

Part two Photo-ID: How many individuals did you guess?
 
The solution is: all three images show the same individual! Dorsal fin marks, which are used to identify our dolphin individuals, can change over time. Swipe to see the change in marks for each photo and more explanations.
 
Post your answers in the comments!
 
Research activities authorized under NMFS/MMPA ESA permit #0731-1509, #18101, #21321, #27099

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