News
Book on protecting the island’s whale populations
View(s):Marine conservation organisation The Pearl Protectors has published an investigative report on the challenges facing the country’s whale populations. A copy of the report, titled Conserving gentle giants: Case study on the scope of illegal whale-swimming activities in Sri Lanka’ was recently handed over to Manjula Amararathne (Director of Protected Area Management) at the Department of Wildlife Conservation.
The year long investigative report highlights that while Sri Lanka has become a prime destination for whale watching, a significant number of tour operators are engaging in illegal and unethical practices, including swim-with whales tours that violate current regulations.
A copy of the report was handed over to Manjula Amararathne
The findings indicate that 73% of operators in Mirissa, and 83% in Trincomalee are involved in swimming with whale activities and often encourage close encounters. Such reckless behavior endangers the safety of cetaceans and humans and jeopardizes
Sri Lanka’s reputation as a sustainable tourism destination, the organisation noted.
The report calls for immediate action and emphasizes the need for stricter enforcement of regulations and greater customer awareness. Tourists have a crucial role to play: by choosing eco-friendly options, they can help protect these majestic creatures and their habitats.
The report is authored by Emily Berlage who is currently pursuing in the field of conservation and management at Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Co Authors of the report are Sara Olyslaegers, Samudra de Silva, Maleesha Gunawardana while Contributors are Sabrina Eliatamby, Muditha Katuwawala and Amila Sumanapala. The report is available online at www.pearlprotectors.org/publications.
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