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Sound up for humpback whale song!🎼🐋 We encountered this individual repeatedly diving to relatively shallow depths for 15 minute intervals to sing his songs, allowing us to take advantage of the crystal clear Maui waters to film his displays!

Mahalo to all of our collaborators, funders and helpers, we couldn’t do it without you! All research conducted under NMFS permit #27548-01

📹: @mcfearsome @aitanakanalu @emilyfoote10

Sound up for humpback whale song!🎼🐋 We encountered this individual repeatedly diving to relatively shallow depths for 15 minute intervals to sing his songs, allowing us to take advantage of the crystal clear Maui waters to film his displays!

Mahalo to all of our collaborators, funders and helpers, we couldn’t do it without you! All research conducted under NMFS permit #27548-01

📹: @mcfearsome @aitanakanalu @emilyfoote10

Happy world whale day from all of us at MMRP!🐋

Mahalo to all of our collaborators, funders and helpers, we couldn’t do it without you! All research conducted under NMFS permit #27548-01

📹: @mcfearsome

Happy world whale day from all of us at MMRP!🐋

Mahalo to all of our collaborators, funders and helpers, we couldn’t do it without you! All research conducted under NMFS permit #27548-01

📹: @mcfearsome

How we use drones to study whale health 🐋🚁

Drones allow us to non-invasively study marine mammals. By pairing aerial imagery with a laser altimeter that records the drone’s altitude above the whale, we can accurately measure body length and width along the animal’s body. These measurements allow us to estimate body volume and mass, providing a quantitative measure of body condition (i.e., energy reserves).

By re-measuring the same whales weeks apart we can quantify changes in body condition, allowing us to measure whale health and energetics, providing foundational knowledge on what it costs to be a humpback whale. Once we know these foundational metrics we can start to predict how these populations may respond to future stressors.

Mahalo to all of our collaborators, funders and helpers, we couldn’t do it without you! All research conducted under NMFS permit #27548-01

📹: @cameron_nemeth @lewisevans191 @mvanaswegen_

How we use drones to study whale health 🐋🚁

Drones allow us to non-invasively study marine mammals. By pairing aerial imagery with a laser altimeter that records the drone’s altitude above the whale, we can accurately measure body length and width along the animal’s body. These measurements allow us to estimate body volume and mass, providing a quantitative measure of body condition (i.e., energy reserves).

By re-measuring the same whales weeks apart we can quantify changes in body condition, allowing us to measure whale health and energetics, providing foundational knowledge on what it costs to be a humpback whale. Once we know these foundational metrics we can start to predict how these populations may respond to future stressors.

Mahalo to all of our collaborators, funders and helpers, we couldn’t do it without you! All research conducted under NMFS permit #27548-01

📹: @cameron_nemeth @lewisevans191 @mvanaswegen_

We don’t often see whales in shallow reef habitat — but when we do, everyone ends up huddled around the controller screen. It’s nice to enjoy the slow moments like this, especially when it seems that time is flying faster than the drone in sport mode. 👀 Somehow we’re already about a third of the way through our Maui field season! 🐋

As always, mahalo to our funders, collaborators and many helpers for your support of our research. All research conducted under NMFS permit no. 27548-01.

🎥: @mcfearsome

#whales #maui #hawaii #humpbackwhale #marinebiology

We don’t often see whales in shallow reef habitat — but when we do, everyone ends up huddled around the controller screen. It’s nice to enjoy the slow moments like this, especially when it seems that time is flying faster than the drone in sport mode. 👀 Somehow we’re already about a third of the way through our Maui field season! 🐋

As always, mahalo to our funders, collaborators and many helpers for your support of our research. All research conducted under NMFS permit no. 27548-01.

🎥: @mcfearsome

#whales #maui #hawaii #humpbackwhale #marinebiology

Healthy calves are one of our favorite sights in the field!💪🐋 Hawaii is an important location for these newborn whales, as they nurse from their moms in the sheltered, tropical waters, quickly growing on average from 1,300 kg (2,900 lbs) at birth to 10,000 kg (22,000 lbs) at 1 year. This rapid growth in the first year of life represents 1/3 of their lifetime growth costs!

Mahalo to all of our collaborators, funders and helpers, we couldn’t do it without you! All research conducted under NMFS permit #27548-01

📹: @cameron_nemeth @aitanakanalu @emilyfoote10

#whales marine biology #calves flukes#hawaii #drone #humpbackwhales #research #flukes whales #gopro calves #astrofreefly #photogrammetry drone #research humpback calf #marinebiology Hawaii #HappyWhale Humpback whales

Healthy calves are one of our favorite sights in the field!💪🐋 Hawaii is an important location for these newborn whales, as they nurse from their moms in the sheltered, tropical waters, quickly growing on average from 1,300 kg (2,900 lbs) at birth to 10,000 kg (22,000 lbs) at 1 year. This rapid growth in the first year of life represents 1/3 of their lifetime growth costs!

Mahalo to all of our collaborators, funders and helpers, we couldn’t do it without you! All research conducted under NMFS permit #27548-01

📹: @cameron_nemeth @aitanakanalu @emilyfoote10

#whales marine biology #calves flukes#hawaii #drone #humpbackwhales #research #flukes whales #gopro calves #astrofreefly #photogrammetry drone #research humpback calf #marinebiology Hawaii #HappyWhale Humpback whales

Follow the link in our bio to our latest blog post about our 2025 and upcoming 2026 Maui humpback whale tagging field seasons! As we gear up for our 7th tag season, we wanted to reflect on our record-breaking 2025 season, and look forward to new collaborations and milestones.

Thanks especially to our funders and collaborators for making this research possible!

All videos taken under permit 27548

Follow the link in our bio to our latest blog post about our 2025 and upcoming 2026 Maui humpback whale tagging field seasons! As we gear up for our 7th tag season, we wanted to reflect on our record-breaking 2025 season, and look forward to new collaborations and milestones.

Thanks especially to our funders and collaborators for making this research possible!

All videos taken under permit 27548

New Publication by MMRP alumna @brijonnay and co-authors 🚨

This paper provides foundational information on the acoustic communication of endangered Main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whales from suction cup acoustic tags. This work will inform ongoing passive acoustic monitoring efforts for continued conservation and management of the population.

See Bri's blog post and access the publication through the Linktree in our bio or on the MMRP website.

A special thanks to our collaborators @pacificwhalefoundation @cascadiaresearch and @whoi.ocean for contributing tag data for this project and the interns that helped with data analysis 💙

Photo Credits: @fabienv79 @olsong14

New Publication by MMRP alumna @brijonnay and co-authors 🚨

This paper provides foundational information on the acoustic communication of endangered Main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whales from suction cup acoustic tags. This work will inform ongoing passive acoustic monitoring efforts for continued conservation and management of the population.

See Bri's blog post and access the publication through the Linktree in our bio or on the MMRP website.

A special thanks to our collaborators @pacificwhalefoundation @cascadiaresearch and @whoi.ocean for contributing tag data for this project and the interns that helped with data analysis 💙

Photo Credits: @fabienv79 @olsong14

We are up in full swing for our 8th successive humpback whale field season in Maui! We’ve already had some epic days on the water, topped off by some truly incredible whale sightings!
📹: @emilyfoote10
Mahalo to all of our collaborators, funders and helpers from last season, we couldn’t do it without you! With a special thanks to @pacificwhalefoundation for your continued support.
All research conducted under NMFS permit #27548-01
#marinebiology #whale #hawaii #gopro

We are up in full swing for our 8th successive humpback whale field season in Maui! We’ve already had some epic days on the water, topped off by some truly incredible whale sightings!
📹: @emilyfoote10
Mahalo to all of our collaborators, funders and helpers from last season, we couldn’t do it without you! With a special thanks to @pacificwhalefoundation for your continued support.
All research conducted under NMFS permit #27548-01
#marinebiology #whale #hawaii #gopro

New publication by MMRP’s @cameron_nemeth !

How do whales and dolphins breathe so efficiently? 🐋🫁
In this study, we show that cetaceans actively modulate their blowholes throughout each breath, revealing a mechanistic strategy that contributes to their extremely efficient respiratory systems. We propose several hypotheses for the functional significance of this modulation and highlight how these observations can improve models of oxygen uptake in marine mammals.

See Cameron’s blog post about the publication through the Linktree in our bio, or on our website!

We would like to sincerely thank the various drone pilots that contributed footage for our study! Mahalo @dolphindronedom @gonewhalewatching @bosstalkpro @aquaterra.life @maxijonas @markgirardeau

Photo credits: @alaska_whale_foundation @fabienv79

New publication by MMRP’s @cameron_nemeth !

How do whales and dolphins breathe so efficiently? 🐋🫁
In this study, we show that cetaceans actively modulate their blowholes throughout each breath, revealing a mechanistic strategy that contributes to their extremely efficient respiratory systems. We propose several hypotheses for the functional significance of this modulation and highlight how these observations can improve models of oxygen uptake in marine mammals.

See Cameron’s blog post about the publication through the Linktree in our bio, or on our website!

We would like to sincerely thank the various drone pilots that contributed footage for our study! Mahalo @dolphindronedom @gonewhalewatching @bosstalkpro @aquaterra.life @maxijonas @markgirardeau

Photo credits: @alaska_whale_foundation @fabienv79

2026 has arrived, and with it comes whale season! Much of our work is done around the waters of Maui Nui (fieldwork buffering 🤩) but this gem of a photo is from Oʻahu, taken last year by our intern, Abbey.

Research under NMFS Permit #27548-01

#mmrp #whaleresearch #humpbackwhale #oahu #marinebiology #whales #fieldwork

2026 has arrived, and with it comes whale season! Much of our work is done around the waters of Maui Nui (fieldwork buffering 🤩) but this gem of a photo is from Oʻahu, taken last year by our intern, Abbey.

Research under NMFS Permit #27548-01

#mmrp #whaleresearch #humpbackwhale #oahu #marinebiology #whales #fieldwork

As we gear up for the 2026 Humpback Whale field season here in Hawai’i, we can’t help but reminisce on last year’s accomplishments! 🐋

From deploying our greatest number of non-invasive suction cup tags yet to retrieving over 80 biopsy samples, our field team certainly kept busy.
Continuing to collect this data will help us better understand the energetic demands and environmental needs of these gentle and downright goofy giants. 💙

Check out the link in our bio for a look into some of last season’s incredible encounters, written jointly by interns Taylor Rouse and Abby Jacka.

Mahalo to all of our collaborators, funders and helpers from last season, we couldn’t do it without you! With a special thanks to @pacificwhalefoundation for your continued support.

All videos taken under permit number #27548-01
#humpbackwhale #marinebiology #maui #whaleseason

As we gear up for the 2026 Humpback Whale field season here in Hawai’i, we can’t help but reminisce on last year’s accomplishments! 🐋

From deploying our greatest number of non-invasive suction cup tags yet to retrieving over 80 biopsy samples, our field team certainly kept busy.
Continuing to collect this data will help us better understand the energetic demands and environmental needs of these gentle and downright goofy giants. 💙

Check out the link in our bio for a look into some of last season’s incredible encounters, written jointly by interns Taylor Rouse and Abby Jacka.

Mahalo to all of our collaborators, funders and helpers from last season, we couldn’t do it without you! With a special thanks to @pacificwhalefoundation for your continued support.

All videos taken under permit number #27548-01
#humpbackwhale #marinebiology #maui #whaleseason

Join us in congratulating Dr Kirby Parnell, who successfully defended her PhD dissertation yesterday! 🎉

Kirby delivered an outstanding presentation summarizing her six years of research, which has uncovered new insights into the underwater communication and acoustic ecology of the endangered Hawaiian monk seal. Her dedication, perseverance, and innovative work have helped establish acoustic monitoring as a valuable tool for advancing the conservation of this species.

Congratulations, Dr. Parnell! 🥳🦭🌊

Join us in congratulating Dr Kirby Parnell, who successfully defended her PhD dissertation yesterday! 🎉

Kirby delivered an outstanding presentation summarizing her six years of research, which has uncovered new insights into the underwater communication and acoustic ecology of the endangered Hawaiian monk seal. Her dedication, perseverance, and innovative work have helped establish acoustic monitoring as a valuable tool for advancing the conservation of this species.

Congratulations, Dr. Parnell! 🥳🦭🌊

Please join us next Tuesday at 10:30 AM HST for @kirbyparnell15’s dissertation defense!

Time: Dec 9, 2025 10:45 AM Hawaii

https://hawaii.zoom.us/j/85946123134

Meeting ID: 859 4612 3134
Passcode: MBIOKP

Please join us next Tuesday at 10:30 AM HST for @kirbyparnell15’s dissertation defense!

Time: Dec 9, 2025 10:45 AM Hawaii

https://hawaii.zoom.us/j/85946123134

Meeting ID: 859 4612 3134
Passcode: MBIOKP

Huge congratulations to Kyleigh, who defended her master’s thesis yesterday! Kyleigh gave a fantastic presentation on her research modeling the abundance of pilot whales around Kauaʻi. She started as an intern with us four years ago and we couldn’t be more proud of all she’s accomplished. Go Kyleigh! #TeamPilotWhale

Huge congratulations to Kyleigh, who defended her master’s thesis yesterday! Kyleigh gave a fantastic presentation on her research modeling the abundance of pilot whales around Kauaʻi. She started as an intern with us four years ago and we couldn’t be more proud of all she’s accomplished. Go Kyleigh! #TeamPilotWhale

Check out a new blog post written by MMRP Postdoc Will Gough! In it, he describes his upcoming project aimed at estimating the daily energetic expenditure of ~18 whale and dolphin species.

https://www.mmrphawaii.org/post/integrating-across-species-a-new-multi-method-approach-to-whale-energetics

This work is funded through a generous grant by the Office of Naval Research (no. N00014-25-1-2553), and will be supported by a wonderful team of friends and collaborators.

Check out a new blog post written by MMRP Postdoc Will Gough! In it, he describes his upcoming project aimed at estimating the daily energetic expenditure of ~18 whale and dolphin species.

https://www.mmrphawaii.org/post/integrating-across-species-a-new-multi-method-approach-to-whale-energetics

This work is funded through a generous grant by the Office of Naval Research (no. N00014-25-1-2553), and will be supported by a wonderful team of friends and collaborators.

Join us for Kyleigh Fertitta’s Master’s thesis defense on Thursday, December 4th at 11:30 AM HST. Held in person and virtually on Zoom (details below).

Topic: MBGP Thesis Defense: Kyleigh Fertitta
Time: Dec 4, 2025 11:30 AM Hawaii

Join Zoom Meeting
https://hawaii.zoom.us/j/84601428561

Meeting ID: 846 0142 8561
Passcode: MBKF25

Join us for Kyleigh Fertitta’s Master’s thesis defense on Thursday, December 4th at 11:30 AM HST. Held in person and virtually on Zoom (details below).

Topic: MBGP Thesis Defense: Kyleigh Fertitta
Time: Dec 4, 2025 11:30 AM Hawaii

Join Zoom Meeting
https://hawaii.zoom.us/j/84601428561

Meeting ID: 846 0142 8561
Passcode: MBKF25

It's been a busy time with publications for us recently - and we have another one out today. Not a new research paper this time, but a book chapter. MMRP's @_clacey and @lbejder1971 are excited to share our contribution to this brilliant new book series. Anything you ever wanted to know about spinner dolphins... hopefully it's in chapter 4!

It's been a busy time with publications for us recently - and we have another one out today. Not a new research paper this time, but a book chapter. MMRP's @_clacey and @lbejder1971 are excited to share our contribution to this brilliant new book series. Anything you ever wanted to know about spinner dolphins... hopefully it's in chapter 4!

New publication by MMRP Postdoc Will Gough and colleagues!

How many squid does a short-finned pilot whale need to eat in a day?

Using a combination of biologging tag and drone data, along with stomach content analysis from stranded animals, the reseach team was able to develop a new analytical framework to estimate the number of squid that a Hawaiian short-finned pilot whale would need to eat each day to cover it’s energetic costs.

The study was published in the Journal of Experimental Biology:
https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.249821

Will has also posted a blog:
https://www.mmrphawaii.org/blogs

This was a collaborative effort between researchers from Marine Mammal Research Program University of Hawaii @mmrp_uh , @himb_soest , @pacificwhalefoundation , @cascadiaresearch , @healthandstrandinglab , Fundacion Oceanografic, @wcupa_pa , @griffithuniversity , and @hopkinsmarinestation .

New publication by MMRP Postdoc Will Gough and colleagues!

How many squid does a short-finned pilot whale need to eat in a day?

Using a combination of biologging tag and drone data, along with stomach content analysis from stranded animals, the reseach team was able to develop a new analytical framework to estimate the number of squid that a Hawaiian short-finned pilot whale would need to eat each day to cover it’s energetic costs.

The study was published in the Journal of Experimental Biology:
https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.249821

Will has also posted a blog:
https://www.mmrphawaii.org/blogs

This was a collaborative effort between researchers from Marine Mammal Research Program University of Hawaii @mmrp_uh , @himb_soest , @pacificwhalefoundation , @cascadiaresearch , @healthandstrandinglab , Fundacion Oceanografic, @wcupa_pa , @griffithuniversity , and @hopkinsmarinestation .

New paper alert! MMRP’s @kirbyparnell15 and co-authors have used passive acoustics to study the underwater vocalizations of Hawaiian monk seals. 🦭Read more about their findings on our blog (link in bio) and in the paper (link in bio).

Huge mahalo to our partners who helped deploy and retrieve the SoundTraps throughout Hawaii, and to our wonderful team of interns who manually detected > 23,000 vocalizations!

Graphics: @bluetide_project
Video: @kristasurfshawaii
Photos: @fabienv79

#hawaiianmonkseal #hawaii #science #conservation #passiveacousticmonitoring

New paper alert! MMRP’s @kirbyparnell15 and co-authors have used passive acoustics to study the underwater vocalizations of Hawaiian monk seals. 🦭Read more about their findings on our blog (link in bio) and in the paper (link in bio).

Huge mahalo to our partners who helped deploy and retrieve the SoundTraps throughout Hawaii, and to our wonderful team of interns who manually detected > 23,000 vocalizations!

Graphics: @bluetide_project
Video: @kristasurfshawaii
Photos: @fabienv79

#hawaiianmonkseal #hawaii #science #conservation #passiveacousticmonitoring

Congrats to MMRP graduate student and @pacificwhalefoundation chief scientist @jenscurrie for passing his comps yesterday regarding his work titled, “How the energetic demands of false killer whales and reduced prey availability may be contributing to fishery depredation rates and reduced fitness”! 🎉🎉

Congrats to MMRP graduate student and @pacificwhalefoundation chief scientist @jenscurrie for passing his comps yesterday regarding his work titled, “How the energetic demands of false killer whales and reduced prey availability may be contributing to fishery depredation rates and reduced fitness”! 🎉🎉

During our past field season with @gray_whale_research_mexico we had the opportunity to take part in an episode of @wildkingdomtv where we discussed our tagging efforts focused on understanding the energetic demands of gray whales on their breeding ground in Baja California Sur! Follow the link in our bio for the full episode! It was a pleasure to work with the team @nbc and @wildkingdomtv, including Dr. @raewynngrant and @peterwgros ! #WildKingdomTV

During our past field season with @gray_whale_research_mexico we had the opportunity to take part in an episode of @wildkingdomtv where we discussed our tagging efforts focused on understanding the energetic demands of gray whales on their breeding ground in Baja California Sur! Follow the link in our bio for the full episode! It was a pleasure to work with the team @nbc and @wildkingdomtv, including Dr. @raewynngrant and @peterwgros ! #WildKingdomTV

New publication by MMRP Postdoc Martin van Aswegen and colleagues!

Humpback whales grow big, and they grow fast… but at what energetic cost?

By combining 2,651 drone-based measurements of 1,503 individual whales with sighting records, whaling archives, and tissue samples, van Aswegen and coauthors estimated body size, growth rates, and associated energy requirements of humpback whales from birth to 50 years of age.

This study reveals the extreme energetic demands of early growth in humpback whales. Calves reach about 75 % of their adult length within the first year, but this rapid growth comes at a great cost: they allocate 6-8 times more energy to growth per day than mature adults.

For mothers, this means sustaining nearly a third of their calf’s lifetime growth in just one year - while fasting on the breeding grounds and throughout migration, relying solely on fat reserves accumulated during the previous feeding season.

The study was published in Marine Ecology Progress Series (open access):
https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14937

Martin has also posted a blog:
https://www.mmrphawaii.org/blogs

This was a collaborative effort between researchers from @mmrp_uh, @himb_soest, @alaska_whale_foundation, @pacificwhalefoundation, @griffithuniversity, @uasoutheast, @uafairbanks, @nationalparkservice, @oregonstate, @adamaripack, @healthandstrandinglab, and @happywhale_official.

We are grateful to our funders: Thank you to our funders: @usnavyresearch, @uhmanoanews, @marinesanctuaryfdn, @dolphin.quest, @lindbladexp, @insidenatgeo, @nprbscience, 'Our Oceans', @netflix, Wildspace Productions, @freebornemedia, @pacwhaleecoadventures, @pacificwhalefoundation, and Omidyar Ohana Foundation.

Big thank you to @whaleposters for the scientific illustrations in the paper and to @cameron_nemeth and Kalikoaloha Martin for translating the abstract into Hawaiian.

New publication by MMRP Postdoc Martin van Aswegen and colleagues!

Humpback whales grow big, and they grow fast… but at what energetic cost?

By combining 2,651 drone-based measurements of 1,503 individual whales with sighting records, whaling archives, and tissue samples, van Aswegen and coauthors estimated body size, growth rates, and associated energy requirements of humpback whales from birth to 50 years of age.

This study reveals the extreme energetic demands of early growth in humpback whales. Calves reach about 75 % of their adult length within the first year, but this rapid growth comes at a great cost: they allocate 6-8 times more energy to growth per day than mature adults.

For mothers, this means sustaining nearly a third of their calf’s lifetime growth in just one year - while fasting on the breeding grounds and throughout migration, relying solely on fat reserves accumulated during the previous feeding season.

The study was published in Marine Ecology Progress Series (open access):
https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14937

Martin has also posted a blog:
https://www.mmrphawaii.org/blogs

This was a collaborative effort between researchers from @mmrp_uh, @himb_soest, @alaska_whale_foundation, @pacificwhalefoundation, @griffithuniversity, @uasoutheast, @uafairbanks, @nationalparkservice, @oregonstate, @adamaripack, @healthandstrandinglab, and @happywhale_official.

We are grateful to our funders: Thank you to our funders: @usnavyresearch, @uhmanoanews, @marinesanctuaryfdn, @dolphin.quest, @lindbladexp, @insidenatgeo, @nprbscience, 'Our Oceans', @netflix, Wildspace Productions, @freebornemedia, @pacwhaleecoadventures, @pacificwhalefoundation, and Omidyar Ohana Foundation.

Big thank you to @whaleposters for the scientific illustrations in the paper and to @cameron_nemeth and Kalikoaloha Martin for translating the abstract into Hawaiian.

We are pleased to announce a new publication by PhD student Lewis Evans and colleagues!

This study uses drones to identify humpback whales from above, using tubercles and scarring on top of the whales head. This method greatly increases our ability to monitor individual humpback whales over short and long timescales.

This study was published in Marine Mammal Science and can be found here: http://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70078!

Lewis has also published a blog summarising the why, the how and the what. His blog can be found here: https://www.mmrphawaii.org/blogs

This was a large collaborative effort between researchers from @pacificwhalefoundation @griffithuniversity @alaska_whale_foundation

Thank you to our funders: @usnavyresearch, @universityofhawaii, @netflix , our oceans, wild space productions, @freebornemedia, @pacwhaleecoadventures, @pacificwhalefoundation, @lindbladexp, @nprbscience and omidyar Ohana foundation.

All images were taken under NMFS permit #21476, 19703, 20311-01

We are pleased to announce a new publication by PhD student Lewis Evans and colleagues!

This study uses drones to identify humpback whales from above, using tubercles and scarring on top of the whales head. This method greatly increases our ability to monitor individual humpback whales over short and long timescales.

This study was published in Marine Mammal Science and can be found here: http://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70078!

Lewis has also published a blog summarising the why, the how and the what. His blog can be found here: https://www.mmrphawaii.org/blogs

This was a large collaborative effort between researchers from @pacificwhalefoundation @griffithuniversity @alaska_whale_foundation

Thank you to our funders: @usnavyresearch, @universityofhawaii, @netflix , our oceans, wild space productions, @freebornemedia, @pacwhaleecoadventures, @pacificwhalefoundation, @lindbladexp, @nprbscience and omidyar Ohana foundation.

All images were taken under NMFS permit #21476, 19703, 20311-01

Meet MMRP's newest PhD! Dr Phil Patton!

Last Friday, Phil treated us all to a masterclass in the use of computer vision and hierarchical models for monitoring whales and dolphins.

It's a complex topic, and he did an incredible job in translating 4 years of work into an hour that we could all enjoy. It's been an absolute pleasure, Dr Patton! Massive congratulations!

Meet MMRP's newest PhD! Dr Phil Patton!

Last Friday, Phil treated us all to a masterclass in the use of computer vision and hierarchical models for monitoring whales and dolphins.

It's a complex topic, and he did an incredible job in translating 4 years of work into an hour that we could all enjoy. It's been an absolute pleasure, Dr Patton! Massive congratulations!

Please join us this Friday for Ph.D. candidate Phil Patton’s thesis defense! The defense will be held in person and virtually over zoom. Details can be found below!

Friday, August 29, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. HST
In person: MSB 100, The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Online: https://hawaii.zoom.us/j/86718282355, Passcode: MBIOPP

Please join us this Friday for Ph.D. candidate Phil Patton’s thesis defense! The defense will be held in person and virtually over zoom. Details can be found below!

Friday, August 29, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. HST
In person: MSB 100, The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Online: https://hawaii.zoom.us/j/86718282355, Passcode: MBIOPP

Accompanying @cameron_nemeth ‘s recent publication in the Journal of Experimental Biology is an Early Career Researchers Spotlight interview the journal does as a way to promote early-career authors. Having conducted this research during the final year of his undergraduate studies, Cameron certainly met the “early-career” criteria.

Cameron started as an intern at MMRP over three years ago, originally working alongside @mcfearsome during her Master’s research. Since then, he has worked under many different graduate students, learning a variety of field-based and analytical skills, before going on to conduct some of his own research with the lab.

For students seeking internship opportunities, please follow the link in our bio to our website to fill out the form!

Accompanying @cameron_nemeth ‘s recent publication in the Journal of Experimental Biology is an Early Career Researchers Spotlight interview the journal does as a way to promote early-career authors. Having conducted this research during the final year of his undergraduate studies, Cameron certainly met the “early-career” criteria.

Cameron started as an intern at MMRP over three years ago, originally working alongside @mcfearsome during her Master’s research. Since then, he has worked under many different graduate students, learning a variety of field-based and analytical skills, before going on to conduct some of his own research with the lab.

For students seeking internship opportunities, please follow the link in our bio to our website to fill out the form!

Check out @cameron_nemeth ‘s new paper on the kinematics of humpback whale bubble-net feeding that he completed during his undergraduate studies @uhmanoanews ! You can also read more about this work and access the full text through Cam’s blog posts on our website and @whalescientists at the link in our bios! This work was a huge collaborative effort between our lab, @alaska_whale_foundation , and 14 other researchers from institutions spanning 5 different countries. A huge thank you to everyone that contributed to this work! Also, thank you to @whalescientists @anaisremili and @whaleposters for creating such an amazing infographic!

In an effort to expand the breadth of written text available in the Hawaiian language, Cam also translated the abstract into Hawaiian, and had a Hawaiian language professor edit the translation. These collaborations support our local community, engage a broader audience, and remind all of the rich history and culture of the land on which we work.

doi:10.1242/jeb.249607

Check out @cameron_nemeth ‘s new paper on the kinematics of humpback whale bubble-net feeding that he completed during his undergraduate studies @uhmanoanews ! You can also read more about this work and access the full text through Cam’s blog posts on our website and @whalescientists at the link in our bios! This work was a huge collaborative effort between our lab, @alaska_whale_foundation , and 14 other researchers from institutions spanning 5 different countries. A huge thank you to everyone that contributed to this work! Also, thank you to @whalescientists @anaisremili and @whaleposters for creating such an amazing infographic!

In an effort to expand the breadth of written text available in the Hawaiian language, Cam also translated the abstract into Hawaiian, and had a Hawaiian language professor edit the translation. These collaborations support our local community, engage a broader audience, and remind all of the rich history and culture of the land on which we work.

doi:10.1242/jeb.249607

** typo alert... 3000 km... not 300... 🙈**

New publication alert... check out @_clacey 's new paper on the abundance of spinner dolphins around O'ahu.
Full text available via link in bio

These surveys were funded by PIFSC and PIRO through a Hawai‘I Pacific Islands CESU Cooperative Joint Venture Agreement with the Marine Mammal Research Program at the University of Hawai‘i.

We would like to gratefully acknowledge the considerable contribution made by the field teams—both boat captains and observers - that participated in the data collection efforts that underpin this paper - you's are awesome!

@himb_soest @uhmanoanews @noaa

** typo alert... 3000 km... not 300... 🙈**

New publication alert... check out @_clacey 's new paper on the abundance of spinner dolphins around O'ahu.
Full text available via link in bio

These surveys were funded by PIFSC and PIRO through a Hawai‘I Pacific Islands CESU Cooperative Joint Venture Agreement with the Marine Mammal Research Program at the University of Hawai‘i.

We would like to gratefully acknowledge the considerable contribution made by the field teams—both boat captains and observers - that participated in the data collection efforts that underpin this paper - you's are awesome!

@himb_soest @uhmanoanews @noaa

Introducing Alec Burslem, MMRP's newest postdoctoral research fellow!

Alec joins us from the University of St Andrews, Scotland, where he studied the physiology and behavior of killer and sperm whales. His focus here will be on the ecophysiology and conservation biology of humpback whales in the North Pacific.

You can find more details about the project, and Alec's new blog post about his journey to MMRP on our website (links in bio).

Introducing Alec Burslem, MMRP's newest postdoctoral research fellow!

Alec joins us from the University of St Andrews, Scotland, where he studied the physiology and behavior of killer and sperm whales. His focus here will be on the ecophysiology and conservation biology of humpback whales in the North Pacific.

You can find more details about the project, and Alec's new blog post about his journey to MMRP on our website (links in bio).

🎉 Massive congratulations to MMRPs newest Dr- the fabulous @brijonnay 🎉

Bri successfully defended her PhD this morning, giving us a wonderful presentation on the Hawaiian soundscape and false killer whale acoustics.

She has packed such an enormous amount into her time as a grad student and it was wonderful to see so many family and friends come to celebrate with her.
We couldn't be more proud of her!

Also- big shout out to the Madrigal family for the amazing celebration lunch!

🐬🐬🐬

🎉 Massive congratulations to MMRPs newest Dr- the fabulous @brijonnay 🎉

Bri successfully defended her PhD this morning, giving us a wonderful presentation on the Hawaiian soundscape and false killer whale acoustics.

She has packed such an enormous amount into her time as a grad student and it was wonderful to see so many family and friends come to celebrate with her.
We couldn't be more proud of her!

Also- big shout out to the Madrigal family for the amazing celebration lunch!

🐬🐬🐬

If you are attending the @europeancetaceansociety conference in the Azores this week, be sure to check our MMRP grad student Gussie’s presentation tomorrow on the daily energy budgets of humpback whale mother-calf pairs! This study combines our long term UAS (drone) dataset with our CATS tags to count the number of calories humpback whales are using each day while in Hawai’i

If you are attending the @europeancetaceansociety conference in the Azores this week, be sure to check our MMRP grad student Gussie’s presentation tomorrow on the daily energy budgets of humpback whale mother-calf pairs! This study combines our long term UAS (drone) dataset with our CATS tags to count the number of calories humpback whales are using each day while in Hawai’i

GIVING DAY IS TODAY!🎁 Follow the link in our bio to see how your donation can make an impact on the beloved marine mammals of Hawaiʻi and around the globe!🌎

#UHGivingDay

All research conducted under NMFS permits no. 21476, 27548 and 22677

GIVING DAY IS TODAY!🎁 Follow the link in our bio to see how your donation can make an impact on the beloved marine mammals of Hawaiʻi and around the globe!🌎

#UHGivingDay

All research conducted under NMFS permits no. 21476, 27548 and 22677

Everything we do at MMRP is a giant team effort. From our graduate students leading various projects, to all of their incredible interns, our team behind the scenes, our various collaborators and friends and family who support us while in the field. Everyone plays a role in protecting these incredible megafauna!

JOIN US TODAY! Click the link in our bio and help us protect the marine mammals of Hawaiʻi and beyond! 💪

#UHGivingDay

All research conducted under NMFS permit no. 21476

Everything we do at MMRP is a giant team effort. From our graduate students leading various projects, to all of their incredible interns, our team behind the scenes, our various collaborators and friends and family who support us while in the field. Everyone plays a role in protecting these incredible megafauna!

JOIN US TODAY! Click the link in our bio and help us protect the marine mammals of Hawaiʻi and beyond! 💪

#UHGivingDay

All research conducted under NMFS permit no. 21476

Children are the future—and that includes the young of all species. At the MMRP, much of our research focuses on understanding the unique needs of these vulnerable individuals, giving them the best chance of survival and helping their populations thrive for generations to come.

Click the link in our bio to join us in supporting this next generation as they transition from curious, playful calves to some of the ocean’s top predators💪🐋

#UHGivingDay

All research conducted under NMFS permits No. 21476 and 27548

Children are the future—and that includes the young of all species. At the MMRP, much of our research focuses on understanding the unique needs of these vulnerable individuals, giving them the best chance of survival and helping their populations thrive for generations to come.

Click the link in our bio to join us in supporting this next generation as they transition from curious, playful calves to some of the ocean’s top predators💪🐋

#UHGivingDay

All research conducted under NMFS permits No. 21476 and 27548

Giving Day is just a few days away, and early donations can be made through the link in our bio! Please consider supporting our cutting-edge research that has positively impacted the marine mammals of Hawaiʻi and across the world!❤️🦭 #UHGivingDay

Giving Day is just a few days away, and early donations can be made through the link in our bio! Please consider supporting our cutting-edge research that has positively impacted the marine mammals of Hawaiʻi and across the world!❤️🦭 #UHGivingDay

Just like that, it’s a wrap on our 2025 humpback whale field season and our research vessel is back on Oahu. If you want to learn more about this season and what we are doing, keep an eye on this space for a summary blog!

A big thanks to @youngbrothershawaii for shipping our boat with their community shipping program, making this season a possibility.

#marinebiology #marinemammals #research #universityofhawaii #youngbrothers

Just like that, it’s a wrap on our 2025 humpback whale field season and our research vessel is back on Oahu. If you want to learn more about this season and what we are doing, keep an eye on this space for a summary blog!

A big thanks to @youngbrothershawaii for shipping our boat with their community shipping program, making this season a possibility.

#marinebiology #marinemammals #research #universityofhawaii #youngbrothers

Giving Day is fast approaching (April 9th) and we need your support! Follow the link in our bio to learn more about our goals for this Giving Day, and please consider making a donation to support our research efforts! Your contribution directly supports our world-class research, education, training, and fieldwork.

❗️Opportunities for early donations are now available through the link in our bio❗️

#4UHGivingDay

Giving Day is fast approaching (April 9th) and we need your support! Follow the link in our bio to learn more about our goals for this Giving Day, and please consider making a donation to support our research efforts! Your contribution directly supports our world-class research, education, training, and fieldwork.

❗️Opportunities for early donations are now available through the link in our bio❗️

#4UHGivingDay

Only 11 days left in our humpback whale field season, and we’ve already measured 1,500 humpback whales! 🐋 A huge thank you to @youngbrothershawaii for their support through the community shipping program, making this season possible. We couldn’t do it without you!

📸: @lewisevans191
All research conducted under NMFS permit No. 27548

#marinemammals #whale #hawaii #marinebiology #drone

Only 11 days left in our humpback whale field season, and we’ve already measured 1,500 humpback whales! 🐋 A huge thank you to @youngbrothershawaii for their support through the community shipping program, making this season possible. We couldn’t do it without you!

📸: @lewisevans191
All research conducted under NMFS permit No. 27548

#marinemammals #whale #hawaii #marinebiology #drone

Check out the link in our bio for a new blog post from @cameron_nemeth about his recent adventure to Baja California Sur with post-doc Will Gough, where they were deploying non-invasive suction cup tags on gray whales! This work was done in collaboration with @gray_whale_research_mexico and we want to express a huge aloha and mahalo to everyone in their organization that helped make this season so successful!🐋🇲🇽

Check out the link in our bio for a new blog post from @cameron_nemeth about his recent adventure to Baja California Sur with post-doc Will Gough, where they were deploying non-invasive suction cup tags on gray whales! This work was done in collaboration with @gray_whale_research_mexico and we want to express a huge aloha and mahalo to everyone in their organization that helped make this season so successful!🐋🇲🇽

Meet Flame (SEAK-1538)! A well known humpback ‘super mom’ with nearly 700 sightings logged in @happywhale_official.

Flame spends her summers feeding in Juneau, Alaska before making the long migration to Hawaiʻi so she can give birth and breed. We can confirm she has a new calf - marking an incredible six calves in seven years!

We are thrilled to see Flame in good condition and her calf looking healthy too.

Thanks to our funders for making this season a possibility.

All research conducted under NMFS permit No. 27548

#humpbackwhale #happywhale #conservation #marinemammals #marinebiology

Meet Flame (SEAK-1538)! A well known humpback ‘super mom’ with nearly 700 sightings logged in @happywhale_official.

Flame spends her summers feeding in Juneau, Alaska before making the long migration to Hawaiʻi so she can give birth and breed. We can confirm she has a new calf - marking an incredible six calves in seven years!

We are thrilled to see Flame in good condition and her calf looking healthy too.

Thanks to our funders for making this season a possibility.

All research conducted under NMFS permit No. 27548

#humpbackwhale #happywhale #conservation #marinemammals #marinebiology

For the sixth year in a row, we’re in Maui deploying non-invasive suction cup tags on humpback whales, gaining unique insights into the lives of these animals. These tags allow us to address critical questions in greater depth than ever before!

Video taken under NOAA permit #27548

For the sixth year in a row, we’re in Maui deploying non-invasive suction cup tags on humpback whales, gaining unique insights into the lives of these animals. These tags allow us to address critical questions in greater depth than ever before!

Video taken under NOAA permit #27548

A humpback whale mother and calf resting underwater, captured by a CATS camera tag deployed on a male escort. Our team is in Maui for the next two weeks for our sixth annual field season deploying tags on humpback whales to better understand their behavioral energetics.

Videos taken under NOAA permit 27548

A humpback whale mother and calf resting underwater, captured by a CATS camera tag deployed on a male escort. Our team is in Maui for the next two weeks for our sixth annual field season deploying tags on humpback whales to better understand their behavioral energetics.

Videos taken under NOAA permit 27548

🎊 Introducing MMRPs newest Dr, @mvanaswegen_ 🎊

Martin successfully defended his PhD yesterday afternoon, treating us to a masterclass on humpback whales, and sharing all of the incredible work he has done throughout his PhD.

Massive congratulations Martin! 🐋🐋

🎊 Introducing MMRPs newest Dr, @mvanaswegen_ 🎊

Martin successfully defended his PhD yesterday afternoon, treating us to a masterclass on humpback whales, and sharing all of the incredible work he has done throughout his PhD.

Massive congratulations Martin! 🐋🐋

Ph.D. Candidate Martin van Aswegen will defend his Thesis on February 4th at 1pm HST!

Please join us if you would like to learn more about his research. Location/Zoom details are provided in the second image.

Ph.D. Candidate Martin van Aswegen will defend his Thesis on February 4th at 1pm HST!

Please join us if you would like to learn more about his research. Location/Zoom details are provided in the second image.

Jumping into our field season like… 🐋!

MMRP graduate student @lewisevans191 and the team are wrapping up their first month of fieldwork. This is our 7th consecutive humpback whale Hawaiʻi field season. So far, we’ve captured measurements on 500 individual whales and spotted some familiar flukes! Stay tuned for more field updates and epic footage of these magnificent creatures in action!

Big thanks to our funders for making this season a possibility

Permit #27540

📸: @lewisevans191
Edit: @mcfearsome

#marinemammals #humpbackwhale #hawaii #research #science #drone #fieldwork #mmrp #maui #marinebiology

Jumping into our field season like… 🐋!

MMRP graduate student @lewisevans191 and the team are wrapping up their first month of fieldwork. This is our 7th consecutive humpback whale Hawaiʻi field season. So far, we’ve captured measurements on 500 individual whales and spotted some familiar flukes! Stay tuned for more field updates and epic footage of these magnificent creatures in action!

Big thanks to our funders for making this season a possibility

Permit #27540

📸: @lewisevans191
Edit: @mcfearsome

#marinemammals #humpbackwhale #hawaii #research #science #drone #fieldwork #mmrp #maui #marinebiology

We are pleased to announce a new publication by PhD Candidate Philip T. Patton and colleagues!

Tracking animal populations is crucial for conservation, but traditional methods are time-consuming and costly. Our latest research explores how AI can help automate photo identification, making population assessments faster, cheaper, and more accurate!

By using machine learning to recognize individual animals from photos, we can reduce human effort while improving conservation decisions. But how do we balance automation with accuracy? Our study finds the best strategies to ensure AI enhances—not replaces—expert oversight.

The study was recently published in Conservation Biology and can be found here: https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cobi.14436

Phil has posted a blog summarizing key findings:
https://www.mmrphawaii.org/post/new-paper-using-ai-to-improve-marine-mammal-conservation

This was a massive collaborative effort, with too many authors, agencies, and organizations to individually shout out. Nevertheless, they were all equally critical to this project.

A big thank you to @noaa, which funds the graduate assistantship for Philip through the Quantitative Ecology and Socioeconomic Training (QUEST) program.

We are pleased to announce a new publication by PhD Candidate Philip T. Patton and colleagues!

Tracking animal populations is crucial for conservation, but traditional methods are time-consuming and costly. Our latest research explores how AI can help automate photo identification, making population assessments faster, cheaper, and more accurate!

By using machine learning to recognize individual animals from photos, we can reduce human effort while improving conservation decisions. But how do we balance automation with accuracy? Our study finds the best strategies to ensure AI enhances—not replaces—expert oversight.

The study was recently published in Conservation Biology and can be found here: https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cobi.14436

Phil has posted a blog summarizing key findings:
https://www.mmrphawaii.org/post/new-paper-using-ai-to-improve-marine-mammal-conservation

This was a massive collaborative effort, with too many authors, agencies, and organizations to individually shout out. Nevertheless, they were all equally critical to this project.

A big thank you to @noaa, which funds the graduate assistantship for Philip through the Quantitative Ecology and Socioeconomic Training (QUEST) program.

We’re gearing up for our seventh annual humpback whale field season! Our team will spend the next three months studying whales in the Maui Nui channel to learn more about their health, behavior and energy expenditure. A big thank you to @youngbrothershawaii for including us in their community shipping program and enabling us to safely transport our research vessel to Maui. Follow along on our socials for updates from the field. 🐋

Video taken under NMFS permit 21476
🎥: @lewisevans191

#mmrp #humpbackwhale #whaleresearch #maui #hawaii #fieldwork #marinebiology #drone

We’re gearing up for our seventh annual humpback whale field season! Our team will spend the next three months studying whales in the Maui Nui channel to learn more about their health, behavior and energy expenditure. A big thank you to @youngbrothershawaii for including us in their community shipping program and enabling us to safely transport our research vessel to Maui. Follow along on our socials for updates from the field. 🐋

Video taken under NMFS permit 21476
🎥: @lewisevans191

#mmrp #humpbackwhale #whaleresearch #maui #hawaii #fieldwork #marinebiology #drone

We are pleased to announce a second new publication by PhD Candidate Martin van Aswegen and colleagues!

This study on mother-calf energetics following birth serves as a companion to the humpback whale gestation paper published yesterday. Using 803 repeat measurements of 275 whales, we examined how lactating females allocate energy to reproduction in relation to calf growth across their Hawaiian breeding and Southeast Alaskan feeding grounds.

The study was recently published in The Journal of Physiology and can be found here:
https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/JP287379

Martin has posted a blog summarizing key findings:
https://www.mmrphawaii.org/post/new-publication-maternal-investment-body-condition-and-calf-growth-in-humpback-whales

This was a collaborative effort between researchers from @mmrp_uh, @alaska_whale_foundation, @pacificwhalefoundation, @griffithuniversity, @uasoutheast, @nationalparkservice, @uafairbanks, @marinemammalinstitute.

Thank you to our funders: @usnavyresearch, @uhmanoanews, @marinesanctuaryfdn, @dolphin.quest, @lindbladexp, @insidenatgeo, @nprbscience, 'Our Oceans', @netflix, Wildspace Productions, @freebornemedia, @pacwhaleecoadventures, @pacificwhalefoundation, and Omidyar Ohana Foundation.

Big thank you to @whaleposters for providing illustrations here and in the paper.

We are pleased to announce a second new publication by PhD Candidate Martin van Aswegen and colleagues!

This study on mother-calf energetics following birth serves as a companion to the humpback whale gestation paper published yesterday. Using 803 repeat measurements of 275 whales, we examined how lactating females allocate energy to reproduction in relation to calf growth across their Hawaiian breeding and Southeast Alaskan feeding grounds.

The study was recently published in The Journal of Physiology and can be found here:
https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/JP287379

Martin has posted a blog summarizing key findings:
https://www.mmrphawaii.org/post/new-publication-maternal-investment-body-condition-and-calf-growth-in-humpback-whales

This was a collaborative effort between researchers from @mmrp_uh, @alaska_whale_foundation, @pacificwhalefoundation, @griffithuniversity, @uasoutheast, @nationalparkservice, @uafairbanks, @marinemammalinstitute.

Thank you to our funders: @usnavyresearch, @uhmanoanews, @marinesanctuaryfdn, @dolphin.quest, @lindbladexp, @insidenatgeo, @nprbscience, 'Our Oceans', @netflix, Wildspace Productions, @freebornemedia, @pacwhaleecoadventures, @pacificwhalefoundation, and Omidyar Ohana Foundation.

Big thank you to @whaleposters for providing illustrations here and in the paper.

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