Sponsored Content | Presented by Pacific Whale Foundation
Each winter, humpback whales migrate more than 3,000 miles from northern feeding grounds to breed in Maui Nui.
By Maui Nō Ka ʻOi Staff
Each winter, humpback whales return to the waters off Maui.
Blows appear on the horizon, followed by tail lifts, breaches and other surface activity as humpback whales move through the channel.
For scientists, educators and naturalists at Pacific Whale Foundation, these first signs mark the beginning of Maui’s whale season – an annual migration that defines winter in Hawaiʻi and begins months of research, education and time on the water.
Maui’s Winter Whale Migration
NOAA describes Hawaiʻi’s general humpback whale season as November through May, with usual peak abundance from January through March. Some North Pacific humpback whales travel more than 3,000 miles from northern feeding grounds to Hawaiʻi.
This migration is one of the longest undertaken by any mammal on Earth. After months of feeding in cold northern waters, humpbacks journey south to the warm, relatively shallow seas surrounding the Hawaiʻian Islands.
The migration is driven by reproduction.
During summer in Alaska, humpback whales feed heavily on krill and small schooling fish, building thick reserves of blubber. By the time they reach Hawaiʻi, most adults have stopped feeding almost entirely. The warm waters of Maui Nui are not rich feeding grounds; instead, they are nurseries and social arenas.
Here, whales mate, give birth and care for calves.
NOAA Fisheries reports that humpback calves are about 13 to 16 feet long at birth and remain near their mothers for up to a year. Calves nurse and grow before traveling north with their mothers toward summer feeding grounds.
The waters between Maui, Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi – known collectively as Maui Nui – form one of the most important humpback whale habitats in the North Pacific.
These channels are relatively shallow, warm and protected compared with the open ocean and Northern feeding grounds. That combination creates ideal conditions for calving and social interaction. Each winter, Maui Nui becomes a gathering place where males compete for mates, mothers nurse calves and whales establish the social dynamics that shape the next generation.
In Hawaiʻian, humpback whales are known as koholā. Their return each winter is part of a rhythm the islands have long known – a seasonal arrival that signals renewal in the channels of Maui Nui.
Since its founding in 1980, Pacific Whale Foundation researchers have studied whales in these waters, building one of the longest-running humpback whale research efforts in Hawaiʻi.
Pacific Whale Foundation’s Hawaiʻi research program uses long-term monitoring and photo-identification to inform population research, management discussions and conservation decisions.
Research That Tracks a 3,000-Mile Journey
Ocean Spirit is a high-tech, eco-friendly sailing catamaran with a maximum capacity of 55 passengers. The Whale Watch Sail Deluxe tour is led by certified marine naturalists who interpret humpback whale behavior and ecology.
One of the most powerful tools in humpback whale research is photography.
The underside of every humpback whale’s tail fluke carries a pattern of black-and-white markings, along with a distinct trailing edge pattern, that is unique to that individual – much like a fingerprint. By photographing those markings as whales dive, researchers can identify specific individuals and recognize them again when they return in future seasons.
Over decades, these photo-identification catalogs have revealed migration routes spanning thousands of miles and multiple generations. Some whales documented off Maui have been matched with sightings in Alaska, demonstrating the biological connection between feeding grounds in the north and winter habitat in Hawaiʻi.
Long-term data allows researchers to track population trends and how consistently individual humpback whales return to Maui Nui. Repeated sightings help document site fidelity and the importance of this winter habitat.
Whale Watching as Research in Action
Winter in Maui offers one of the rare opportunities in the world to watch humpback whales in their breeding grounds.
On calm mornings, the ocean in Maui Nui often fills with activity. A distant breach sends spray into the air. A tail lifts before a deep dive. Sometimes a mother and calf move slowly along the surface together, the calf learning to breathe, dive and navigate.
An adult humpback whale can grow 45 to 50 feet long and weigh nearly 40 tons. When a whale breaches, its entire body launches out of the ocean before crashing back into the water with a force that can echo across the channel.
Researchers believe breaching may serve several purposes, including communication, mating displays and possibly the removal of parasites. Beneath the surface, male humpbacks produce complex songs that can last for hours and travel miles through the water – vocal displays that continue to intrigue scientists.
Whales can sometimes be spotted from shore, while guided trips on the water provide naturalist interpretation under federal viewing rules. PacWhale Eco-Adventures whale-watch vessels depart from Maʻalaea Harbor and Lahaina Harbor during the season.
PacWhale Eco-Adventures whale-watch vessels carry naturalists who explain observed behavior, share current research and connect sightings with long-term study in Maui Nui.
Revenue from PacWhale Eco-Adventures supports Pacific Whale Foundation research, education and conservation programs, including long-term humpback whale monitoring.
Today, Pacific Whale Foundation remains an active presence in Maui’s whale season through research, education and public excursions. Each excursion contributes to the same long-term monitoring efforts that help Pacific Whale Foundation scientists understand migration trends, habitat use and population health.
Naturalists help guests understand the size, behavior and migration of humpback whales while keeping the experience grounded in current research.
The annual return of humpback whales to Maui is both a seasonal event and an ecological marker. It reflects a Pacific migration linking Alaska’s feeding grounds to Hawaiʻi’s winter habitat.
Each winter, humpback whales return to Maui Nui as part of a migration linking Hawaiʻi’s breeding habitat with northern feeding grounds.
Reserve a whale watch with PacWhale Eco-Adventures and support long-term research at Pacific Whale Foundation: pacwhale.com
FAQ
When is humpback whale season in Maui?
Humpback whale season in Hawaiʻi generally runs from November through May, with usual peak abundance from January through March.
Why do humpback whales migrate to Hawaiʻi?
They migrate from northern feeding grounds to Hawaiʻi to mate, give birth and nurse calves in warm, shallow waters.
What makes Maui Nui important to humpback whales?
The warm, relatively shallow waters around Maui, Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi provide important winter breeding, calving and nursing habitat.
How far do humpback whales travel?
Some North Pacific humpback whales migrate more than 3,000 miles between Alaska and Hawaiʻi.
What behaviors might you see on a whale watch?
Guests may observe breaching, tail slapping, pectoral-fin slapping, spyhopping and mother-calf interactions while naturalists explain what is known about those behaviors.
Pacific Whale Foundation
pacwhale.com | pacificwhale.org
Reservations: 808-249-8811