#whale season

The findings challenges the conventional understanding of tiger sharks as purely solitary animals, revealing a predictable seasonal convergence of mature males and females that coincides with the humpback whale calving season in Hawaiʻi.

A total of 596 humpback whales were observed during the Great Whale Count on Maui, for a grand total of 997 spotted throughout the state. On Maui, Great Whale Count volunteers collected data from 12 sites during 15-minute intervals between 8:30 a.m. and 11:50 a.m. A total of 105 whales were observed during the 11:30-11:45 a.m. time period, the most of any time period throughout the day’s count. 

Sanctuary staff will provide presentations about recent scientific findings and the upcoming 2022-2023 whale season.

Humpback whale season in Hawai‘i is already underway, with sightings occurring regularly off Maui shores. This dynamic image was captured today by photographer, Ellen Riamo, about two miles west of Kīhei.

The whales are back, and lucky spectators have been catching glimpses of the majestic creatures in waters off Maui over the past few weeks.

In celebration of the 3,000-mile homecoming of whales from northern feeding waters, Pacific Whale Foundation will be hosting their month-long Maui Whale Festival beginning Saturday, Feb. 2. One of Maui’s longest running events, the festival offers many opportunities for up-close and personal sightings of Hawaiʻi’s largest visitors. The festival will begin with the Run and […]

The first humpback whale of the season was spotted by researchers aboard the NOAA ship Hiʻialakai off of Niʻihau last week, marking an early start to the whale season in Hawaiʻi. The sighting was reported on Tuesday, Sept. 29, as the crew traveled home from a mission at the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.