A Note From Our Executive Director
Dear Friends,
As Whale Trust approaches its 25th year, I’ve been reflecting on the remarkable journey that has brought us here; one shaped by science, visual storytelling, and a deep love for our natural world What began as a small group of researchers and photographers curious about whales and passionate about sharing the wonder of the ocean has evolved into a collaborative organization whose work now spans research, education, and community engagement across Hawaiʻi and the North Pacific
This past year was one of both change and growth As a new administrative team came together, we focused on steady progress through a shifting fundraising landscape. Through it all, our team remained grounded in the heart of Whale Trust’s mission: combining science, education, and community to inspire a deeper connection to whales and the ocean we share.
Our research continued to build on long-term studies of humpback whale behavior. The three-year North Pacific Song Project deepened collaborations across the region, while new partnerships, including one with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), are helping us explore how AI can reveal new insights into whale communication We also advanced research on how stress and reproductive hormones influence whale health and behavior, led by Haley Robb Spears, who began with Whale Trust as a high school student and is now completing her PhD.
As Haley’s story demonstrates, mentoring students and early-career researchers has always been at the heart of our mission, inspiring the next generation of sustainability leaders, environmental stewards, and marine scientists. With expanded staff capacity this year, we ’ ve also been able to grow our education and outreach programs across Maui and beyond The spirit of this work shone at Whale Tales, which once again brought together scientists, artists, students, and ocean enthusiasts to share discoveries that deepen our collective commitment to conservation
As we look ahead to Whale Trust’s 25th anniversary and the 20th Anniversary of Whale Tales in 2026, we celebrate two decades of discovery and community while charting a vision for the next 25 years.
None of this would be possible without you - your belief in our mission sustains us and fuels every success. Together, we ’ re ensuring that whales, our ocean, and our communities continue to thrive, side by side
With much aloha,
Connected by Song: Humpback Whales
Across the Pacific, Year 2
Year 2 exceeded expectations in the collection of humpback whale songs across the North Pacific. Under Whale Trust’s leadership, a team of 20 researchers collaborated during the second year of a three-year study, marking an unprecedented effort to better understand the meaning and function of humpback whale songs. From September 2024 through April 2025, this effort recorded 148 whale songs on 133 days at 16 sites across 7 countries.
The purpose of this study is to understand the mechanisms driving the constant changes in humpback whale songs. While most whales in a population sing essentially the same version of a song at a given time, it is continuously evolving. This study explores how songs change and spread across feeding and breeding areas throughout the North Pacific Ocean.
Analyses for Year 2 are currently underway, but early results suggest greater similarities in whale songs across the Pacific than observed in the previous two years, providing clear evidence of how connected these populations
FallLocations
WinterLocations
Okinawa
Hokkaido
s e alaska
GlacierBay
VancouverIsland
MontereyBay
british
columbia
california
japan philippines
MikuraIsland
Ogasawara
BabyuanIslands
Maui
Hawai’i
LosCabos
Hawai’iIsland
Archipiélagode
Revillagigedo
Nayarit
BahiaBanderas
El Salvador
Nicaragua
We’ll be sharing specific song comparisons and new insights at this year’s Whale Tales event (February 19-23, 2026). Even if you aren’t able to join us in person, you can stream it live from wherever you are in the world. This study has been generously supported by the John Lazarich Foundation, the Hoffman Family Foundation, and the Whale Tales Beneficiary Fund. Thanks to an additional grant from the Wanderlust Foundation in 2024, we were also able to expand monitoring into a key fall feeding region in Hokkaido, Japan.
Year 2 Participants
Japan: Mikura Island
Kazunobo Kogi, Kie Inoue
Japan: Okinawa
Nozomi Kobayashi
Japan: Ogasawara
Manami Yamaguchi
Japan: Hokkaido
Yoko Mitani*
Philippines: Babyuan Islands
Jo Marie Acebes
California: Monterey Bay
John Ryan
México: Los Cabos
Jorge Urbán Ramírez, Pamela Martínez Loustalot
México: Bahia Banderas
Jorge Urbán Ramírez, Pamela Martínez Loustalot
México: Archipiélago de Revillagigedo
Jorge Urbán Ramírez, Pamela Martínez Loustalot
México: Nayarit
Nicole Ransome
Nicaragua: Joëlle De Weerdt
ElSalvador:LosCóbanos
MelvinCastaneda,Paula CabanillesBenito
Hawai’i:Maui
JimDarling,MeaganJones
Gray,HaleyRobbSpears
Hawai’i:Hawai’iIsland
ChrisGabriele
Alaska:GlacierBay
ChrisGabriele*
BritishColumbia:Vancouver Island
JohnFord,JudeAbrams*
*feeding areas
Investigating Reproductive & Stress Hormones Trends in Humpbacks
This ongoing research collaboration between Whale Trust and the University of California, Santa Cruz is led by doctoral student and Whale Trust Research Associate, Haley Robb Spears. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between stress, reproduction, and breeding behavior. By investigating the underlying physiology of humpback whales, we can begin to understand what drives male and female interactions here in Hawai’i.
Hawai’i Field Season Update
During the winter 2025 field season, the team spent 38 days on the water, recording more than 400 whale encounters and identifying over 270 individual humpbacks. They collected 120 biopsy samples from males and females across different group compositions and behavioral roles. These biopsy samples were paired with photo ID for each individual, allowing us to gather sighting histories of these individuals, including where they spend their summers feeding, their calving histories, and estimate their minimum age.
Alaska Field Season Updates
In summer 2025, the team completed five days of fieldwork in Southeast Alaska, with over 60 whale encounters and 30 biopsy samples collected from both male and female humpbacks. A few whales sampled in Alaska were also seen and sampled in Hawaiʻi, providing an incredible opportunity to compare hormone levels between their feeding and breeding seasons. These longterm matches are key to understanding how whales’ hormones change throughout the year.
Looking Ahead to the 2026 Field Season
With field data collection and biopsy sample processing complete for her dissertation, Haley is now focusing on analyzing and writing up her results, with plans to defend her PhD in summer 2026. She hopes to continue collecting samples in future seasons to continue to build Whale Trust’s long-term dataset that will help us monitor reproductive health and stress in humpback whales over time. Haley will also continue supporting related Whale Trust research, including whale song studies and photo identification projects.
Whale Tales 2025
Whale Tales 2025 brought together more than 800 in-person participants and connected hundreds more via livestream for a four-day celebration of science, art, and community on Maui. Attendees enjoyed presentations from 14 researchers, conservationists, and photographers, along with a community art expo, science center, and special events designed to foster collaboration and ocean stewardship. Through the event’s Beneficiary Fund, Whale Tales continued its tradition of giving back supporting the North Pacific Song Project, a groundbreaking research collaboration involving 20 scientists from around the Pacific. Since its founding in 2006, Whale Tales has raised more than $1.25 million for whale research and conservation initiatives in Hawai
i and across the North Pacific. The 2025 gathering celebrated connection, education, and hope for the future of whales and our shared ocean.
InspiringtheNext Generation
186studentsfromthree westsideMauischools participatedinour2025Whale TalesKeikiProgram.
ClassroomvisitsbyWhaleTrust precededthehalf-dayfieldtripatThe Ritz-CarltonMaui,Kapalua,where studentsrotatedthroughfivehands-on STEAMworkshopsfocusedonarange ofexperiences,including:
Steppinginsidealife-sized inflatablehumpbackwhaletolearn anatomy.
Learninghowtodisentanglea whalefromfishinggearwiththe HawaiianIslandsHumpbackWhale NationalMarineSanctuary. Exploringhumpbackwhalesongs withWhaleTrust,culminatingin studentscreatingtheirown “original”whalesongfor2025.
Engaging with Dutch filmmaker Ellen van den Honert on howartimpacts conservation.
ConnectingwithJean-Michel Cousteau about theroleof storytellinginconservation.
Thanks to Makana Aloha Foundation’s generous support, our 2025 Keiki Program inspiredstudentstobecome stewardsoftheocean while fostering a sense of connection to the ocean that surrounds their island home.
Volunteer Spotlight
Sue Milligan & Bob Harris - British Columbia
Sue and Bob have been volunteering with Whale Tales for many years. Their love for the ocean and their cheerful energy have made them a beloved part of the Whale Tales ʻohana.
They first learned about Whale Tales while watching turtles at Maʻalaea Harbor, when Whale Trust’s now research photographer, Ralph Pace struck up a conversation that led to years of volunteering and discovery. One of Sue’s favorite memories is learning to identify individual humpback whales by their tail flukes, and realizing that whales she photographed in British Columbia, including Eros, Maude, and Wilkinson, were also seen in Maui
From helping with set-up and take-down to greeting guests at the doors, Sue and Bob bring heart and humor to every task. They call Whale Tales “far and away the best volunteering we’ve done,” and we couldn’t agree more. On behalf of everyone here at Whale Trust, mahalo nui loa for your years of invaluable service and support.
Financial Report
Alaska Photo Expeditions 2025
Capturing Connection Through The Lens
This year’s Alaska Photo Expedition was nothing short of extraordinary With one small, immersive group, this journey offered an intimate and personal experiencethe perfect setting to dive deeply into the art of nature photography while connecting with the wild beauty of Alaska
Led by world-renowned photographer and National Geographic contributor Flip Nicklin and award winning Maui photographer, Daniel Sullivan alongside Juneaubased expert Mark Kelley, participants spent their days refining their craft amid breathtaking landscapes and abundant wildlife.
For four unforgettable days, the group set out aboard a private vessel for ten-hour excursions, exploring remote coastlines, glaciers, and marine habitats. Each evening, conversations and storytelling continued on shore, beginning with a welcome dinner where Flip, Daniel, and Mark shared their insights, field experiences, and photography wisdom.
Beyond the images captured, the week was about connection — to nature, to one another, and to the mission that brings us all together. Participants returned home not only with incredible photographs and new technical skills, but with lasting memories and a renewed sense of wonder for the ocean and its inhabitants.
All proceeds from Whale Trust’s photo expeditions directly support our mission to promote, support, and conduct research and education on humpback whales. We are deeply grateful to our incredible participants for helping make these transformative experiences possible.
Experience Monterey in the spring with our expert photographers!
Just a few seats left available April 28 - May 1, 2026
You won’t want to miss it!
As we reflect on this past year, we are filled with deep appreciation for the community that makes Whale Trust’s work possible. 2025 has been a year of meaningful growth, collaboration, and resilience - and every step forward has been powered by the generosity and passion of our supporters, old and new.
Your belief in our mission fuels the research, education, and connection that define Whale Trust. From all of us, thank you for being part of this journey and for helping us continue to inspire a deeper understanding and appreciation of whales and the ocean environment.
With heartfelt gratitude, The Whale Trust Team