National Geographic Society photos
Photojournalist Flip Nicklin will show his "Looking at Whales"
series at the 5th Annual Whales Alive Celebration of Whales
conference on Maui this weekend.

"Whales and Dolphins of the World," the theme of the 5th Annual Whales Alive Celebration of Whales conference includes more than three days of presentations, video screenings, whale watches, action groups, and social events.

The conference, attended last year by more than 600 people, is a nonprofit project of Earth Island Institute, and Four Seasons Resort Maui.

Nearly two dozen delegates will attend this year's event, including Dr. Hal Whitehead and Dr. Linda Weilgart of Dalhousie University; Ferdinand von der Assen, Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries, The Netherlands; W.S. Merwin, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet; Flip Nicklin, National Geographic photojournalist;Don and Sue White of EarthTrust; and Dr. Frank Cipriano of Harvard University.

A narrated video that provides details about the male humpback that died on Maui in 1996. It will be shown by Dr. Dan Salden, president of the Hawaii Whale Research Foundation at 11 a.m. Friday. Salden also will show a "highlights" video of a humpback encounter he calls "Courtship Ballet."

A poetry reading by Merwin at 7:30 p.m. Friday, followed by a lecture by Dr. Paul Spong, the scientist studying Orca song in the inland waters of British Columbia.

"Whales of the World," a double feature presentation by Nicklin, showing his "Looking at Whales" photographs, and a lecture on "Sperm Whale Societies and Their Protection" by whale expert Whitehead at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Other lectures include:

"Songs of the Earth, Songs of the Whale" by Scott McVay, co-discoverer of the song of the humpback whale.

Undersea Noise Pollution

Tribal Whaling in the Pacific Northwest

Dolphin Protection Laws: The tuna/cocaine connection

Status of the Humpback Sanctuary in Hawaii

Dolphins in Sharkbay, Australia

Full registration for the conference is $295; partial registration is $225. The cost for the presentations only package is $175.

Evening presentations are $10 in advance, $15 at the door, $5 for children 12 years and under.

For more information on the Fifth Annual Whales Alive Celebration of Whales Conference call Stan Butler or Carol Zahorsky at 1-(808)-875-9623.