04.10.2021 – Whale Watching ethics

The whale watching industry is a steadily growing branch of the economy. Precisely because we are visiting a living space that is the domain of other living beings, it requires a lot of knowledge, experience, empathy and skillful implementation in order to remain a guest with good manners and not to become an intruder and disruptive factor. Today, the kink of the good manners towards the marine mammals was thrown overboard.

In an area with marine mammals, in which other whale watching providers also want to enable their guests to enjoy this nature encounter, respect for the marine mammals is required. For this reason, every boat has to contain themselves. An approach must take place within the rules for observing the animals. You have to be aware that we may only have a brief encounter with the marine mammal, but this animal may have numerous contacts with different boats. Good cooperation must also be made possible with respect for other providers. A “Me and only me – mentality” is not appropriate here and shows a behavior towards the marine mammals that needs to be questioned, because after all they are the ones who suffer.

Unfortunately, our guests on the Ribeira Brava this morning witnessed such an unsightly example of whale watching. A boat apparently had the kick as the top priority for the guests. They approached the Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) too quickly and too closely. The kink in good manners towards marine mammals has been thrown overboard. As a result, it was no longer possible for anyone else to observe the animals. But in any case, this behavior was at the expense of the animal.

Filipe, our captain, decided to leave this situation and I, as the guide, found this was the only correct action that was appropriate in this uncomfortable situation. We have the privilege to meet our ocean friends almost every day. Of course, we want to give our guests a wonderful experience that they can take with them in their everyday lives. But with this job also comes the responsibility for a respectful and sustainable encounter with these marine mammals. The right measure is an art, but also a duty. It requires some whale watching ethics.

In the morning, we were lucky enough to meet a small group of Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). They approached the boat and that was a gift from nature to us.

Unfortunately there was no sighting in the afternoon.

By Fatima Kutzschbach

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

10:00 Sei whale, Bottlenose dolphins

14:30 No sighting

Stenella

09:30 Sei whale

15:00 Bottlenose dolphin