November 17, 2011 Baleen

[CaliforniaMama]

The figures around whale watching are staggering. As well as the money involved, around 13 million people (a couple of million more than the entire population of Greece) from 119 countries go whale watching each year. Although it started in the 1950s it has only been the last decade in which whale watching has really developed, and has outpaced other varieties of global tourism considerably.

But . . .

This article questions whether or not whale watching is good for the whales. It sounds like the whales are feeling harrassed. Boats get too close, visit the same pods over and over, they linger too long, and some skippers actually run into the whales!

All of this stresses out the whales. Their respiration increases, their blood pressure goes up, they stop eating, don't nurse their babies well and the pods suffer.

It is amazing to think that such huge creatures are so sensitive to the actions of much smaller mammals (humans). We have machines and technology and that gives us the advantage.

The article asks if we are handling it well.

Lots of great pictures at Ark in Space.

Image Credit Flickr User lymang