Do Wildlife Tourists Stress Out Marine Mammals? Kristina Bravo - TakePart
go to original August 31, 2014

Watching whales and dolphins in their natural habitats may seem like a good alternative to seeing them in aquariums, but some scientists say that the activity may be putting the marine mammals at risk.

Researchers presented their findings at the International Marine Conservation Congress, a symposium held in Glasgow, Scotland, last week.

“Whale-watching is traditionally seen as green tourism,” Leslie New, a Maryland-based wildlife biologist who works for the United States Geological Survey, told Nature. “The negative is the potential for disturbance.”

More than 13 million people take whale-watching trips each year, generating an estimated $2.1 billion annually.

Boat collisions might be the least of the marine mammals’ problems, according to studies presented at IMCC. The effects of whale-watching excursions are unclear, but scientists worry it may cause behavioral changes in whales and dolphins, such as not feeding or swimming away from boats, which takes energy.

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