Humpback whales on the way to Cabo!
Article by Katia Silva, Marine Biologist and Guide at Cabo Trek.
Humpback whales have already been on the verge of extinction because of commercial hunting. However, with the hunting ban, the population has slowly grown. And, this is a great history of successful conservation and whale watching tourism is part of that story.
Ecotourism is part of a global trend. It is mainly to respect the whales, in the whale watching, giving space that they need. Therefore, the reproductive season (December to April) is a very important moment because it is when they copulate, breed and educate their calfs during the first weeks of their lives.
Through the whale watching of humpbacks it is possible to sensitize people in a unique way to the importance of the conservation of the species. If a picture is worth a thousand words, imagine how shocking it is to see these giants swimming side by side from the vessel you are on!
During the tour, which lasts from 2,5 hours on average, it is possible to watch a spectacle with acrobatic behavior. It is also possible to see mothers closely with their calfs, competitive groups (males trying to mate with females) and more! Of course, every day at sea is different and everything will depend on your luck and Mother Nature. But what is guaranteed is that it will be a unique experience in your life.
Ecotourism, if practiced in a responsible way, can bring countless benefits to the conservation of the oceans. Whale watching is estimated to generate two billion US dollars annually, with 13 million people going whale watching each year in more than 110 countries. Whale watching is a ‘use’ of whales that generates far more money than whaling.
Some of the advantages of this type of tourism work are: minimum environmental impact; educational character; income for the places where the tours are made; incentive for the hotel and tourism sector; job vacancies; contribution to scientific research and awareness of the population for sustainable development.
Despite the advantages, it is necessary that this type of activity is always on constant monitoring, so that there are no disturbances to the animals, bearing in mind that almost always tourism is made in places of reproduction.
The whales in Mexico are are protected by law. The practice of whale watching is regulated from SEMARNAT and the norms were established to prevent and curb the intentional harassment of whales in Mexican waters.
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Cabo Trek focus is on educational tours in Baja California Sur region, please check out our other activities:
- Whale Watching Cabo San Lucas
- Whale Shark Snorkeling in La Paz
- Gray Whales in Magdalena Bay
- Baja Whale Expedition
- Sea Lions in Espiritu Santo Island
- Snorkelling in Cabo San Lucas
- Turtle Hatchery Cabo San Lucas
- Scuba in Cabo
- Shark Dive Cabo
