Whales and dolphins are mammals that are supremely adapted to life in the oceans. This group of animals range from the huge and awe-inspiring baleen whales to the graceful dolphins and little porpoises that inhabit the oceans of the world. The largest mammal that has ever lived on Earth is the immense blue whale that can reach a hundred feet in length and weigh over 150 tons. The waters around Sri Lanka are inhabited by a high diversity of these wondrous species including the blue whale. Those who are fortunate enough to see these animals undisturbed in their natural habitat are filled with wonder at their immense beauty, grace and intelligence.
Commercial whale and dolphin watching tourism is a lucrative industry in many parts of the world today. More than 10 million people go to watch and wonder and be inspired by these animals each year. Commercial whale and dolphin watching tours are being operated in more than 90 countries around the world.
In this respect Sri Lanka has great potential in that our seas have both an abundance and diversity of whales and dolphins. While this has been known to researchers and fishermen for many decades, the tourism industry only focused on this potential recently. However, being short-sighted Sri Lankans, we are once more getting ready to “kill the goose that lays the golden egg” to make quick money in an unsustainable manner.
 |
| 18-Foot boat with tourist on board approaches blue whale at high speed |
In the course of a research survey last week, I happened to be in the same area where the Sri Lankan whale watching boats have initiated operations off the south coast. I have no words to describe the mayhem I witnessed and I was totally appalled at what was going on. Fortunately, my research team was well positioned to record and document the entire procedure on two consecutive days, even though the experience left us feeling stressed, frustrated and helpless.
On the first day, we found a baleen whale being completely surrounded by whale watch boats and being chased at high speed every time it surfaced to breathe. There were a total of five whale watch boats around it of which only one (the large boat operated by the Ceylon Fisheries Harbour Cooperation in collaboration with Walkers Tours) was operating in a professional and correct manner that did not unduly stress the whale and also provided safety for the whale watchers on board. Their caution and correct conduct should be commended and held up as an example of how to do it right. All the other commercial whale watch boats, regardless of their size and who was operating them, were harassing the whale throughout this encounter making it change its natural behaviour due to the stress they were causing it. Large baleen whales usually surface after a dive and blow slowly and deliberately at the surface while they rest and exhale.
They blow many times to replenish much of the air in their lungs to dive again. Once they have done this they will slowly dive once more to feed. Unfortunately the whale watch boats went charging towards the whale every time it surfaced, forcing it to hurriedly take a few breaths and re-submerge before it was ready for another dive. By doing this the boats were causing much physical stress to the animal while also making sure that the whale watchers who pay a large sum for these expeditions got only fleeting views of the whale. If like the large CFHC vessel all the boats just lower their speed and idle at a safe distance it is possible to watch these animals for a long time as they will spend more time at the surface affording whale watchers long and memorable experiences and many good photo opportunities.
| The blame for this situation should be shared among several public and private organizations within Sri Lanka. Responsible ecotourism operators should, and elsewhere in the world do take into consideration the welfare of the natural places and species that are the target of their industry as a matter of priority. |
Later in the same day we encountered a 36-foot fishing vessel with some Sri Lankan whale watchers aboard in the vicinity of a school of dolphins. The fishermen manoeuvered this boat in an exemplary manner keeping a slow speed, always keeping their distance from the animals and always keeping parallel to them and never attempting to chase them. Due to this reason the dolphins approached this boat of their own accord and rode the bow wave giving the whale watchers on board an experience they will never forget. It was such a refreshing change from what we had witnessed earlier in the day.
On the second day there were many blue whales, including a mother-calf pair, attempting to feed in the area. Once again three commercial whale watch boats plus a small (18 foot) fishing boat with a pair of foreign tourists on board were present. All the boats kept chasing after each whale that surfaced in the same manner as the day before. The fishing boat attempted to get right on top of the whale to get the tourists within touching distance of it, making the whale dive hurriedly to get out of the way. At such times a faint accidental touch from this sixty foot blue whale would have sent this little 18-foot boat into a million fragments and the international tourism trade with it. Is this really ecotourism and is this what we are trying to promote as responsible whale watching in Sri Lanka?
This brings me to the next issue which is the potential for accidents and the safety of the whale watching tourists which could well become an issue. If a whale is continuously harassed to the extent that it is literally not allowed to breathe it will also behave in an anomalous manner. It could change its normal surfacing patterns and this could be very dangerous because some of the whale watch boats are small and unstable. If a pursued whale surfaces hurriedly due to an urgent need to breathe, it could surface right beneath one of these boats, destroying it instantly or be so close to it that the boat could easily capsize. Just because whales are normally gentle animals we must not forget that they are also large, wild animals. If they are harassed and put under undue stress and in an unnatural situation, their natural survival instincts will take over and make them act in abnormal ways like any other animal. So the kind of behaviour by whale watch boats that I witnessed last week I believe is creating the potential for an accident waiting to happen.
The blame for this situation should be shared among several public and private organizations within Sri Lanka. Responsible ecotourism operators should, and elsewhere in the world do take into consideration the welfare of the natural places and species that are the target of their industry as a matter of priority. Knowing very well that there are no formal regulations in place, it is imperative that such operators should at least formulate and follow a voluntary code of conduct. Such codes of conduct have been very successful in many countries where regulations were not in place when the industry began.
 |
| Whale surrounded by commercial whale watch boats. All except one vessel still approaching |
This does not however absolve the responsible government authorities from blame in any way. As a part of the legally protected wild fauna of Sri Lanka, whales and dolphins come under the protection of the Department of Wildlife Conservation. Unfortunately despite knowing about all the recent publicity on whale and dolphin watching, the concerned authorities have failed to bring in any regulations to control this industry and make it sustainable. As whales and dolphins are protected species under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance there is ample provision and authority to enact and enforce such regulations but unfortunately the will to expedite such matters seems to be lacking.
While I am not trying to be unduly critical in this article I hope it will be taken as constructive criticism by all the concerned organizations and authorities. I also hope that it will educate potential whale and dolphin watchers among the general public as to what they should and should not expect from whichever whale watch operator they choose to go with. I appeal to them to demand ethical behaviour from boat operators in the future, both to ensure that the animals they are going to see are not harassed and for their own safety.
Please see box story (above) for some simple best practice guidelines in accordance with international standards that can easily be applied in Sri Lanka. Potential whale watchers should be made aware of them so that they can be on the lookout for any violations.
(The writer is a Cetacean Researcher and Member of the Cetacean Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission )
Checklist for whale watchers
- How fast and in what manner did your boat approach the whales or dolphins?
Whales and dolphins should never be approached at high speed. Avoid excessive speed or sudden changes in speed and direction near them.
- How close did your boat go to the whales/dolphins before stopping?
Boats should always keep a minimum distance of 100 metres from whales and dolphins at which point the boat should reduce speed to idle.
- Was your boat approached by whales or dolphins while stopped at a safe distance?
If the whale or dolphins should approach your boat of their own accord the boat should shift its motor into neutral or idle. If you must use your motor to hold your position, keep your speed down to a minimum. Never try to touch or swim with the animals or attempt to feed them.
- Did your boat approach the animals from behind, in front or from the side?
Never approach whales and dolphins from directly behind (chase) or from directly in front (head on). Vessels should attempt to parallel the animal’s course at a very slow speed.
- Did your boat chase after or separate groups of whales and dolphins?
A boat should never attempt to chase, herd, or separate groups of whales or dolphins, especially when calves are present as mothers and young could get separated from each other.
- Were other whale-watch boats present during encounters and how did your boat operate in relation to them?
Boats should never encircle or entrap whales or dolphins between them or between the boat and shore. All boats should remain on one side of the animals, always leaving them an escape route.
- How long did your boat stay with any animal or group of animals?
The time spent with any whale/whales or dolphins should be limited to less than 30 minutes, at a time. When leaving the location, start out slowly and wait until you are 300 metres (1,000 feet) from the animal before accelerating. Do not suddenly alter boat direction or speed. |
E-mail