Off the coast of Sri Lanka in its oceans, one can find giants. These are the whales, some of the largest and most remarkable inhabitants of our planet. The waters of Sri Lanka are home to a number of whale species including 5 large species which are The Blue Whale, Bryde’s Whale, Sperm Whale, Humpback Whale, and Omura’s Whale.
Whales are exciting and charismatic creatures and it is no surprise that tourists often flock to the coasts for whale watching tours, hoping to catch a glimpse of the fascinating mammals surfacing between their dives to catch a breath. In recent times, tourists have wanted to get closer and have a more intimate encounter with these giants leading to the increased availability of “Swim-with-whales” experiences. These tours are marketed as an opportunity to get in the water with the whales and swim alongside them, and are extremely popular in locations where whale watching is common. However, when left unregulated these tours can soon become a source of harassment for the whales. Inexperienced clients and tour operators may cause disturbance to whale pods as they surface for breath which may result in changes to their natural behaviour. In addition, the lack of necessary protective measures in these dives may put the clients themselves in the path of danger.
In Sri Lanka whales are protected by law, and a permit is required for individuals to get in the water with them. Little is known regarding the legality of “Swim-with-Whales” experiences being offered at present, making effective regulation a challenge.
In the light of this, Lanka Environment fund is excited to be funding a project by Oceanswell that will focus on gathering information on existing “Swim-with” operations in the coastal cities of Trincomalee and Mirissa, while evaluating their legality. The project also aims to support the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) by building a database listing tour operators in the areas, the type of tourism they provide and their legal status. In addition, advertising for boat-based tours will also be evaluated to understand if they create false expectations for tourists regarding the opportunity to swim with whales. The findings from this evaluation will be used to assist the DWC in creating guidelines for advertising such tours that manage expectations of tourists.
Information will be gathered from social media, online websites, signage and photographs that offer “Swim-with” experiences in the two locations. These sources will be evaluated for any mention of permits, existing regulations in the industry or records from the Department of Wildlife Conservation for their permitting in order to assess the legal status of their operations.
The specific objectives of this project are:
This project is a positive step in creating a culture of sustainable and ethical eco-tourism in the country. The success of this project will set the course in ensuring that both coastal communities who depend on whales for their livelihood and the whales themselves continue to thrive with mutual benefit to each other.
Picture credits: Andi Cross
