Free Multimedia Presentation on 2/4 by Greg Kaufman

Kaufman's talk will be based on more than 35 years of whale research. He will present the latest discoveries about whales, through a riveting multimedia presentation including photos and video. Kaufman will also present reports from Pacific Whale Foundation's ongoing whale research in Australia, Ecuador, Chile, Oceania and Hawai'i and will share insights and adventures from his ongoing journey to help save whales, including his participation in the International Whaling Commission's Scientific Committee.

 

Kaufman's presentation will include insights about worldwide whale protection at the International Whaling Commission. He will also share reflections on the International Whaling Commission's Scientific Committee, of which Kaufman has served as an invited participant in 2011, 2010 and 2009.

 

 A book signing of Kaufman's 2009 book, Humpbacks of Hawaii, the Long Journey Back, will occur immediately after the presentation.

 

A pioneer in noninvasive humpback whale research in the mid-1970s, Kaufman founded Pacific Whale Foundation in 1980, and committed his new organization to educating the public, from a scientific perspective, about whales and their ocean habitat. Kaufman is a world leader in addressing whale protection issues, and has pioneered responsible whale- and dolphin-watching programs throughout the Pacific. He is widely acknowledged as an innovator and leader in marine ecotourism. Greg Kaufman is the author of three books, and

numerous articles in scientific and popular publications about whales.

 

During 2011, Kaufman attended the International Whaling Commission's Scientific Committee Meeting in Tromso, Norway. He was also invited by the United Nations Environment Programme to serve as the keynote speaker at a workshop in Panama on whalewatching in the Caribbean during the fall of 2011.

During late summer and early fall, he also spent two months studying humpback whales along the eastern coast of Australia. He also attended meetings in Australia in December with a team of researchers who are creating a catalog of Australian humpback whale fluke identification data.

 

Greg's presentation is free and open to the public, but reservations are encouraged as seats fill up very quickly. For information or to make a reservation, call (808) 249-8811 ext. 1 or visit www.mauiwhalefestival.org.

 

On Sunday, February 5, 2012, Pacific Whale Foundation will host a special whalewatch led by Greg Kaufman.  During the whalewatch cruise Greg will provide insightful commentary and expert interpretation of the whales’ intriguing behaviors. This two hour cruise departs at 12:30 pm on February 5, 2012 from Ma’alaea Harbor. Whale sightings are guaranteed,

or you get a free ticket for a regular Pacific Whale Foundation whalewatch. Price is $49.95 for adults, $34.95 for children ages 7 -12. Children ages 6 and under go free. Book online at www.pacificwhale.org and save 10%. Pacific Whale Foundation Members save 20%. For information or reservations, please call (808) 249-8811 ext. 1

 

Both events are part of the Maui Whale Festival which is hosted by Pacific Whale Foundation and takes place from late November through\ mid-May. The Maui Whale Festival celebrates and honors the thousands of humpback whales that migrate to Maui each winter. Maui is the principal mating and calving area of North Pacific humpback whales in the United States. It is the place of new beginnings for the next generation of whales. Through fun and educational events, the Maui Whale Festival raises awareness about these cherished marine mammals and inspires the public to care for the vital and unique whale habitat encompassed by the four islands of Maui County. To learn more, visit

www.mauiwhalefestival.org.