#Whale Trust

Since MHLA started hosting the Charity Walk in 1980, more than $23 million has been raised for Maui County, with Maui raising the most dollars per capita for 17 consecutive years.

Maui Ocean Center will celebrate World Ocean Day with educational and cultural activities, live music and marine naturalist presentations from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, June 8.

Whale Trust concluded its 20th anniversary Whale Tales event in Kapalua last month, drawing hundreds of attendees to discuss the latest humpback whale research and the future of global ocean health.

Whale Trust will present Listening to the Ocean: An Evening of Conversation with Ocean Elders on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026 at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, as part of its 20th Annual Whale Tales celebration. The special event will bring together internationally recognized leaders in ocean science, exploration, and conservation for an evening of discussion focused on the future of the world’s oceans.

Whale Trust is offering five Maui middle and high school students the opportunity to snorkel at the Olowalu Hope Spot with world-renowned oceanographer Sylvia Earle on Feb. 22.

Whale Tales 2026, a Maui-based ocean conservation event, celebrates its 20th anniversary this February at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua featuring Nainoa Thompson, Dr. Sylvia Earle, Jean-Michel Cousteau, and more.

This first-of-its-kind interactive augmented reality experience features 11 leading cultural educators and scientific experts. The “living portraits” on the plaques consist of portrait images that “come to life” by employing augmented reality (AR) technology. By using the AR viewer on a smartphone and pointing the camera towards the portrait, it creates a lifelike experience for the guest as the image begins to move and speak when viewed on the phone’s screen.

The J. Walter Cameron Center will mark its 50th anniversary with an open house event, celebrating five decades of serving the Maui community on Oct. 11, 2024. The event will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

World Ocean Day is held each year on June 8 to “help unite and rally the world to protect and restore our blue planet.” Maui Ocean Center will celebrate World Ocean Day with family-friendly activities including live music, art projects and marine naturalist presentations from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 8. Discounted admission for kama‘āina, with valid Hawaiʻi state ID, is $10 per person (ages 3 and younger are free).

Whale Trust announces a documentary screening of National Geographic’s Incredible Animal Journeys on Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua. The screening of the episode titled “Ocean Odysseys,” is part of the 18th annual Whale Tales event, taking place Feb. 16-18, 2024.

Whale Tales returns to The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua as a signature event Feb. 16-18, 2024.

A study recently published in Frontiers has unveiled an interesting facet about humpback whales: they venture far beyond their traditional breeding grounds, traveling to the deep tropical oceans during the winter months.

Whale Trust and Koholā Brewery are joining forces to present the return of Breaches & Brews Science nights. The series returns on a monthly basis, starting July 5, 2023. 

A unique and special Chef’s Dinner, featuring the renowned culinary talents of award-winning Executive Chef, Riko Bartolome will benefit the Whale Trust. 

Maui Ocean Center will celebrate Earth Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 22, with family-friendly fun including face painting, interactive games with prizes and ocean-themed activities led by marine naturalists.  

“Humpback Whales” is an extraordinary journey into the mysterious world of one of nature’s most awe-inspiring marine mammals.

Join leading scientists, photographers, filmmakers, and conservationists Feb. 17-20, 2023, to learn the latest in whale research and conservation.

Whale Tales returns for its 16th year, connecting the global whale enthusiast and marine science community with international researchers, creatives, and conservationists for a one-of-a-kind virtual experience, March 26-27, 2022.

A collaborative study by six international research organizations revealed the discovery of two humpback whales that traveled between the breeding grounds of Hawai’i and Mexico – about 3,728 miles – in the same winter.

Underwater footage captured by author Deborah Patton’s GoPro on Feb. 3, 2020 reveal an in-process birth with two male escorts surrounding the mother in labor after approaching a whale watching boat operated by Captain Steve’s Rafting Adventures in Lahaina.