#Pacific Whale Foundation

A vital marine conservation asset used by Pacific Whale Foundation, Sharkastics, and the Center for Marine Debris Research was stolen from Māʻalaea Harbor early Friday morning, dealing a serious blow to ongoing marine debris removal and recycling efforts across Maui and Oʻahu.

The Pacific Whale Foundation hosts “Race for Whales” on Sept. 1, a virtual endurance challenge supporting the organization’s vital programs in research, education, conservation and outreach. Whether you walk, run, bike, paddle, swim, or hike, every mile helps protect whales, dolphins and marine ecosystems.

Pacific Whale Foundation announced that it has recovered 8,281 pounds of marine debris from Maui’s shores and waters so far this year.

Pacific Whale Foundation, the Marine Mammal Research Program at the University of Hawaiʻi and Maui Ocean Center present the Hawaiʻi premiere of “Call of the Dolphins” — a new IMAX documentary narrated by Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning actress Mary Steenburgen and directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Jonathan Bird.

Aloha Maui Pride has announced the 2025 Pride Month Events June 1-14, with many activities for the first two weeks in June leading up to the Maui Pride Festival 2025, held in partnership with the Maui AIDS Foundation on June 14. 

Pacific Whale Foundation is marking Earth Day 2025 with an expanded effort to remove marine debris from Maui’s nearshore reefs, including an ongoing campaign at Keoneʻōʻio (La Perouse Bay) and a new net removal mission off Molokaʻi.

Maui Ocean Center will host its second annual “Earth Night” event from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 26, 2025.

The free, public event aims to unite local organizations, environmental advocates and the public to celebrate and elevate sustainability efforts across the island. 

Pacific Whale Foundation’s Spring Ocean Camp for kids in grades 2-5, takes place from March 17 to March 21. The camp gives children an opportunity to interact with the ocean environment in a fun and educational way during their spring break.

About 1,200 Maui residents and visitors — some from as far away as Canada and Brazil — ran and walked in last weekend’s 14th annual Maui 5K at Maui Ocean Center, raising a record $72,000 for Maui Nui schools.

Volunteers on Saturday counted a total of 1,947 whales, including 802 on Maui, 153 on Molokaʻi, 263 on Hawaiʻi Island, 321 on Kauaʻi and 408 on Oʻahu. The count was part of the second coordinated effort this season by the Pacific Whale Foundation and the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

With the help of friends, colleagues and community, Kaufman created a lasting impact. For the past four decades, the Maui Whale Festival, which runs throughout February each year, has honored the arrival and departure of these majestic creatures.

The total number for the Great Whale Count on Maui was 702, for a grand total of 2,121 throughout the state.

The Pacific Whale Foundation is offering a whale watch program for school groups of children in the 2nd through 5th grade.

In the heart of Māʻalaea Village, nestled on Maui’s south shore, a community’s love for the land drives its dual battle against environmental degradation and wildfire risk. This close-knit village, a hub for marine research and education, is home to the Hawaiʻian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, Keʻālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge, and visitor treasures like the Maui Ocean Center and the Pacific Whale Foundation.

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology biologists used drone imagery to understand how nursing humpback whale mothers and their calves fare as they cross the Pacific Ocean. Recent declines in North Pacific humpback whale reproduction and survival of calves highlight the need to understand how mother-calf pairs expend energy across their migratory cycle. The study was published in “The Journal of Physiology.”

A new study shows proper intake of food is essential for pregnant humpback whales to pull off the extreme physical feat of annual migration between Hawaiʻi and Alaska.

To foster responsible tourism and strengthen the connection between visitors and Hawai‘i’s natural resources, the Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau launched the Mālama Hawaiʻi initiative in 2020. Visitors can enjoy benefits like special discounts or even a free night’s stay at participating hotels when they give back through these volunteer opportunities.

Following the success of its first season, the beloved children’s series “The Peek-a-Bows” is returning for Season 2, premiering on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, at 3 p.m. on YouTube. This season brings ‘Alani, Lena, and Poni, the colorful sisters of the rainbow, to life once again, captivating keiki and ‘ohana with storytelling, humor and cultural themes.

Maui Ocean Center will host “Fins & Frights Night” from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 26, featuring costume contests, face painting, trick-or-treating throughout the park and a new “Coco” 3D experience inside the “Sphere de los Muertos.”