Pacific Whale Foundation

I’m delighted to share, on behalf of my coauthors, our new open-access publication in Marine Mammal Science! This paper has been years in the making and reports the research I conducted for my Honours degree at the University of the Sunshine Coast in collaboration with the Pacific Whale Foundation. It is incredibly rewarding to see my Honours research finally published, and I hope it inspires further work within the scientific community. Cetacean epibionts can provide noninvasive insights into the health, physiology, and spatial ecology of their hosts, yet quantitative assessments of epibiont coverage in wild populations remain scarce. Using image processing techniques, we compared drone- and vessel-based estimates of dorsal epibiont coverage across humpback whale reproductive classes in 32 paired datasets. Drone-derived estimates were consistently higher, with vessel-based measurements averaging 58% of the relative coverage estimated from corresponding drone imagery. Nevertheless, 94% of paired observations differed by less than five percentage points in absolute coverage, indicating strong agreement between methods and suggesting that method-related differences are unlikely to introduce substantial ecological bias. Our findings demonstrate that drones can provide a reliable and standardized source of quantitative epibiont data while increasing observational capacity. With further refinement and validation, this approach could strengthen cetacean health monitoring programs and inform conservation strategies, particularly for vulnerable populations and understudied species. I am grateful to my wonderful coauthors David Schoeman, Adrian McCallum, Barry McGovern, Stephanie H. Stack, and Ticiana Fettermann, as well as the many Pacific Whale Foundation volunteers and staff who supported this research along the way. Read the article: https://lnkd.in/gqUMJx2k Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the research. #aerialimagery #colorthresholding #commensal #ectoparasite #epizoite #healthassessments #mysticeti #proportionalcoverage #skinhealth

Pacific Whale Foundation was on Live in The Bay on KRON4! this afternoon. Board Chair Jennifer Delgadillo Bevington and board member Joe Burgard , Managing Director and Partner at San Francisco Cruises (Red and White Fleet),  about the strong community of PWF supporters in the Bay Area and the research, education, and conservation work their support drives, and what it takes to bring people together around ocean conservation. Mostly, though, they were there to talk about An Evening of Aloha on the Bay, our September 26 fundraiser aboard the Enhydra, the first lithium-ion hybrid vessel of its kind in the United States. A night on the water, Maui style, in support of the work. If you are in the Bay Area, we would love to see you on the boat. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are at https://lnkd.in/gJQEPti2 Watch the segment here: https://lnkd.in/g2uhCB2Z Mahalo to Jen and Joe for representing us so well, and to the KRON4 team for the time. #OceanConservation #Nonprofit #BayArea #Whales #PWF #AnEveningOfAlohaOnTheBay

Aloha from all of us at Pacific Whale Foundation to the Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project team as they head northwest on their second mission of 2026. We are especially proud that our Conservation and Outreach Manager, Brianna Simon, is part of this crew. Every net and fragment they pull out of those waters protects the seabirds, monk seals, corals and turtles that depend on some of the most remote and sensitive habitat on Earth. Follow along on their story map. Go get 'em, Bri!

Maui is coming to the Bay. On September 26, join Pacific Whale Foundation aboard Red and White Fleet's Enhydra for an evening on the water, with appetizers, drinks, sunset views, and the latest on our work protecting whales, dolphins, and the ocean. Space is limited and sponsorships are available.

At Pacific Whale Foundation, we believe our supporters deserve to see exactly where their impact shows up. That's why we're opening the doors on our 2026 Mid-Year Impact Report. Join us Thursday, August 6 at 9:00 AM for a one-hour interactive webinar. Our Executive Director & CEO Dayna Garland will help facilitate the conversation, joined by: 🔬 Jens J. Currie , Chief Scientist 🐋 Brianna Simon, Conservation & Outreach Manager 📚 Lauren Spencer, Education Manager You'll hear directly from the people leading our research, conservation, outreach and education work here in Hawaiʻi. We'll walk through the highlights, share what's ahead, and open the floor for your questions. This isn't a one-way presentation. It's a real conversation, and your questions and input are part of what makes these sessions valuable. Transparency isn't a talking point for us. It's how we honor the trust our community places in this mission. Register today via this link: https://lnkd.in/gKFwzsY4 #MarineConservation #OceanConservation #PacificWhaleFoundation

A false killer whale researchers track as PWF#0109 lost over 500 pounds in 10 weeks, more than a quarter of its body weight. New research from our Chief Scientist Jens J. Currie and colleagues shows Hawaiʻi's endangered false killer whales are going hungry as warming seas and nearshore fishing shrink their food supply. Fewer than 140 remain in the only endangered population of these animals on Earth. The takeaway from Jens: there's a real problem here, but there's a solution if we work together. Mahalo to Honolulu Civil Beat and reporter Marcel Honoré for telling this story, and to our research partners at Cascadia Research Collective. https://lnkd.in/gYyJ8WsK Read a plain-language summary of the full research report: https://lnkd.in/gspjDy4s Sign the petition to help protect Hawaiʻi's false killer whales: https://lnkd.in/gy3Ub76v #MarineConservation #Hawaii #OceanScience #EndangeredSpecies

Pacific Whale Foundation's 2025 Annual Report Webinar is now available on demand. Hear directly from PWF leadership, staff, and volunteers on what we accomplished this year for whales, dolphins, and the ocean we all depend on. The research. The conservation wins. The keiki and communities we reached. It's all here. Watch now: https://lnkd.in/gRm_wajQ Mahalo to every member, donor, and partner who made 2025 possible. #PacificWhaleFoundation #OceanConservation

Win a trip to Maui & help protect whales! Winner Receives: -Round-trip flights for two -4 night stay at a premier Maui hotel -PacWhale Eco-Adventures cruise (whale watch, snorkel, or sunset dinner) Every entry supports whale research and ocean conservation Enter now for your chance to win. Link to enter: https://lnkd.in/gQNpaWjv

In just 29 days, we have brought out more than 1,190 kids from Maui County on Keiki Whale Watches! 🐋 “Experiences like this leave a lasting impact, especially for our students and families. You helped spark curiosity, respect, and responsibility for our natural resources in a way that no classroom lesson ever could. We are incredibly grateful for your commitment to education, conservation, and community outreach.” - Kaunakakai Elementary School Staff 💙 This year we are grateful to be able to bring keiki from Lānaʻi, Molokaʻi and Maui! Expanding our reach to help provide access to more keiki. We have 40 Keiki Whale Watches scheduled this year, with our amazing Education team providing this experience to keiki from Grades 2-8! We believe financial barriers should never stand between a child and their connection to the sea. Your donations ensure that our Keiki Whale Watch remains accessible to all Maui students, regardless of school funding or family income. Thank you for the support! 🐋 @pacificwhalefoundationmaui Mahalo for your support, and we are so excited going into the second half of Keiki Whale Watch season!

🦈 Shark attack on dolphins! 🐬 Dolphins are known for being top predators in the ocean, but they're also predated upon by bigger species including large sharks. In Australia, the Research team often sees fresh or healed shark bite wounds on dolphins from a failed predation attempt. 🦈Why are we interested in shark bites on dolphins? Documenting shark bites can tell us about the relative predation risk for dolphins in an area or season. This allows us to better understand how predation pressure influences the behavior and distribution of dolphin populations. 💙 📸 Research activities conducted under appropriate state and federal permits and following animal ethics approval. @pacificwhaleoz #sharkbite #australiadolphins #dolphins