COMPLETED PROJECT
Off the coast of Sri Lanka, one can find some of the world’s largest and most remarkable marine inhabitants—the whales. Sri Lanka’s waters are home to several species, including the Blue Whale, Bryde’s Whale, Sperm Whale, Humpback Whale, and Omura’s Whale. These charismatic giants captivate tourists to the coasts, hoping to catch a glimpse of whales surfacing for breath. Recently, however, demands for closer encounters has led to an increase in “Swim-With-Whales” tours, allowing tourists to enter the water alongside these giants. Although thrilling, unregulated interactions can disrupt whale behaviour and pose risks to both the animals and participants.
In response to these concerns, Sri Lanka introduced the Sea Mammals (Observation, Regulation, and Control) Regulations, No. 1 of 2012, which formally prohibit swim-with-whales tours to protect marine mammals. However, exceptions are provided under strict conditions, allowing people to enter the water with whales only with express permission from the Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC). Despite this, many current operations in popular whale-watching locations like Mirissa and Trincomalee remain unregulated, complicating compliance and enforcement.
Funded by the Lanka Environment Fund, Oceanswell initiated the “Swim-With-Whales” project to gather data on these operations, evaluate their legal status, and support the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) in building a database of operators, tourism types, and their regulatory compliance.
Project Objectives
Results and Findings
Oceanswell’s study documented 32 swim-with-whales operators in Trincomalee and Mirissa—a threefold increase in just three years. Analysis showed that most operators do not mention required permits on their advertisements or websites, suggesting non-compliance with regulations.
The study observed significant avoidance behaviours in whales during swim-with interactions, suggesting that the animals experience stress in response to human proximity. All four whale species studied exhibited vertical avoidance behaviours, diving abruptly to escape disturbances. Such stress behaviours, especially in mother-calf pairs, may have long-term effects on whale health and calf survival, impacting Sri Lanka’s marine ecosystem.
Moreover, the unregulated nature of these swim-with-whales operations enables them to operate without bearing the legal costs associated with boat-based whale-watching tours, such as permits, insurance, and taxes. Consequently, unregulated swim-with-whales operators enjoy higher profit margins, often at the expense of legally compliant businesses and local economic development, as many of these operators are foreign-owned.
Future Steps
Oceanswell recommends increased enforcement of existing regulations, raising public awareness about legal restrictions, and developing a standardised framework for ethical tourism. By supporting the DWC to build a database of operators and create advertising guidelines, this project aims to protect Sri Lanka’s whale populations while promoting responsible tourism.
This initiative represents a crucial step toward fostering sustainable eco-tourism practices, ensuring that both the whales and the coastal communities who rely on them can thrive together. Funded by the Lanka Environment Fund and supported by local whale-watching operators, this project contributes to safeguarding Sri Lanka’s marine heritage for future generations.
Picture credits: Andi Cross
