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- Calving Rates and Intervals of East Australian Female Humpback Whales
- Connectivity and Interchange Between Humpback Whale Aggregation Areas along East Australia
- Dynamics of extralimital feedingby humpback whales off Eden, NSW
- East Australia Humpback Whales
- Pacific Whale Foundation’s Southern Hemisphere Humpback Whale Catalogue
- Rate of Interchange Between East Australia and West Australia Humpback Whales
- Ecuador Research
- Interaction of Small Cetaceans with Artisanal Fisheries in Machalilla National Park
- Population, Distribution and Abundance of Humpback Whales and other Cetaceans in Machalilla National Park
- Photo-identification of dolphins in the Cojimies River Estuary
- Migratory Interchange of Humpback Whales between Peru and Ecuador
- Hawaii Research
- Distribution of Odontocetes in Maui County Waters
- Hawaiian Humpback Whale Catalogue
- Odontocetes of Maui County
- Researcher on Board Humpback Whale Program
- Sea Turtle Foraging and Resting Areas off Maui
- Social Structure of False Killer Whales in Maui County Waters
- Spinner dolphins in Maui County waters
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Hawaii Research
Pacific Whale Foundation's research labs are located at our headquarters on Maui, overlooking Ma'alaea Bay. Our labs hold our library of more than 6,000 individually identified marine mammals, including humpback whales, false killer whales and dolphins. Ongoing analysis of new photoidentification data takes place in our labs year-round. Our offices are also located just footsteps away from Ma'alaea Harbor, the departure point for many of Pacific Whale Foundation's ecotours. With our Whale & Dolphin Tracker Program, we are able to gather data from all of our vessels' sightings of whales and dolphins.
Our current research studies in Hawaii include the following. (Please click on the name of the study to review additional details.)
Distribution of Odontocetes in Maui County Waters Based on Platform of Opportunity Data
To understand year-round distribution of odontocetes (toothed whales and dolphins) in the four island region of Maui County using historical data collected by Pacific Whale Foundation's eco-tour vessels during regular operations.
Social Structure of False Killer Whales in Maui County Waters Based on Photo-Identification Data
To photo-identify as many false killer whales using the Maui County Four-Island Area as possible in order to understand group cohesion and stability, age structure, reproductive rates and association patterns.
To photo-identify as many false killer whales using the Maui County Four-Island Area as possible in order to understand group cohesion and stability, age structure, reproductive rates and association patterns.
Researcher on Board Humpback Whale Program
Surprise encounters, i.e., where boats unexpectedly encounter whales, have been on the rise in Maui waters possibly because the number of whales coming back to winter here has been increasing. Our goal is to understand if there are specific factors that influence the probability of an encounter occurring, above and beyond the increasing number of whales.
Surprise encounters, i.e., where boats unexpectedly encounter whales, have been on the rise in Maui waters possibly because the number of whales coming back to winter here has been increasing. Our goal is to understand if there are specific factors that influence the probability of an encounter occurring, above and beyond the increasing number of whales.
Sea Turtle Foraging and Resting Areas off Maui
Pacific Whale Foundation will be launching a series of projects focused on long-term monitoring of sea turtles at specific foraging/resting areas in Maui County waters with the overall goal of understanding population dynamics, “social structure” and habitat use for green sea turtles at known aggregation areas. Emphasis will be given to resting and foraging patterns, availability of food resources and utilization of such resources by individual turtles.
Pacific Whale Foundation will be launching a series of projects focused on long-term monitoring of sea turtles at specific foraging/resting areas in Maui County waters with the overall goal of understanding population dynamics, “social structure” and habitat use for green sea turtles at known aggregation areas. Emphasis will be given to resting and foraging patterns, availability of food resources and utilization of such resources by individual turtles.
Daytime Distribution, Behavior and Social Ecology of Spinner Dolphins in Maui County Waters
The study will describe movement patterns of spinner dolphins in Maui County waters and test for differences in the peak time of resting between locations and differences in patterns due to presence and absence of boats. The study will also look at the underwater acoustic patterns associated with what is seen at the surface. Using photo-identification, the presence of specific individuals within groups at specific locations will be monitored to determine site-fidelity to specific coastal locations.
The study will describe movement patterns of spinner dolphins in Maui County waters and test for differences in the peak time of resting between locations and differences in patterns due to presence and absence of boats. The study will also look at the underwater acoustic patterns associated with what is seen at the surface. Using photo-identification, the presence of specific individuals within groups at specific locations will be monitored to determine site-fidelity to specific coastal locations.
