Is Ecotourism Endangering Whale Sharks?

By Dani Khan Da Silva, Safina Center Senior Fellow

© Dani Khan Da Silva

I recently returned from a visit to Isla Mujeres (“Women’s Island”), Mexico. I was led here first by the stories about this being a sanctuary for  the moon/medicine/fertility goddess Ixchel. This was a special gathering space for Mayan priestesses and women.

When I got to Cancún (Isla Mujeres is a short ferry away from the mainland with this being the closest airport) I was instantly struck at how much had changed since my last visit almost 20 years ago.

A Las Vegas-like quality surrounds not only the hotel district, but also the ecotourism atmosphere with every kind of excursion and activity you could think of available almost daily.

As part of my ongoing work examining the impact of zoos and ecotourism on our relationship with wildlife and natural habitats through storytelling and research, I decided to try swimming with whale sharks, which is something I have always wanted to do. Several of my conservationist friends had also recommended this place to me in particular because of the enforced regulations.

For $100-200 USD one can try their luck at finding (not always guaranteed) and swimming with these gentle giants from May to August while they stop by on their migration.

© Dani Khan Da Silva

Whale sharks can reach the size of a school bus, making them the largest fish (they are more shark than whale) alive. Their patterns are like fingerprints—each is unique. They are ancient—over 60 million years old. A female whale shark can give birth to 300 babies at once and they can live up to 150 years.

They are generally harmless to humans, and most of the general instructions we were given before going out were mainly to protect the whale sharks—no sunscreen, no touching, staying at least 3 meters away, no chasing the whale sharks…

The global population of whale sharks is endangered, numbered somewhere between 119-238,000. They are threatened by hunting, pollution, zoonosis and other unintended harm by promoting close human interaction.

© Dani Khan Da Silva

Hunting

While hunting whale sharks is illegal, it still happens. About 500-600 whale sharks per year are “processed” by one known Chinese company.

Pollution

While whale sharks have a huge mouth, they almost exclusively feed on plankton, fish eggs, algae and krill. Unfortunately due to human activity and the decreasing plankton levels in the ocean, this species is increasingly under threat. Further, it is also said that there is more plastic than plankton in the ocean, causing a major disturbance for all ocean life. And let’s not forget about threats due to noise, overfishing, and building directly on the coasts.

© Dani Khan Da Silva

Zoonosis

There are many reasons not to get close to whale sharks or touch them.

Whale sharks are covered in protective mucus, which can be compromised by touching. Sunscreen and other skin products can also do damage to the whale shark.

Their skin is covered in not just mucus but also dermal denticles, which can leave one with “shark burn,” which can be quite unpleasant.

Unintended Harm

Moreover, by touching and feeding whale sharks, they can get used to that kind of attention. In search of food from humans, they may approach hunting boats and put themselves at risk.

Under this umbrella of unintended harm I would add mismanaged ecotourism initiatives.

© Dani Khan Da Silva

As they say, the road to “hell” is paved with good intentions.

I think anytime beings or experiences with wild beings are commodified, there is the great potential for trouble. I have personally witnessed so many instances where guidelines are not followed, and where wild beings are clearly stressed. In this case too, I witnessed many of the guidelines shared being violated by many while I was on this excursion. I saw people trying to touch the whale sharks, everyone swam after them, and many people were much closer than the recommended 3 meters.

At one point I witnessed the giant fish switching directions quickly, leading them into the path of live propellers (as pictured in this image). It was evident to me that some of the whale sharks were being disturbed and turned around by the many boats in the water. I also witnessed at least two whale sharks with damaged fins that appeared to be sliced by propellers.

When I voiced my concerns, the others in the boat frankly seemed to care more about snapping selfies than animal welfare. For some it was something they had dreamed about for a long time, and they justified the experience by saying “if the whale sharks didn’t like it, they would leave.”

Except that we are disrupting their feeding grounds.

© Dani Khan Da Silva

Several studies have demonstrated that whale sharks actively try to avoid tourists, rapidly diving or rolling away from these perceived threats. It has been shown by LAMAVE and other researchers that there is considerable pressure on this endangered and nationally protected species and that management intervention is necessary. Quintana et al. (2018) found that tourists approaching whale sharks can have impacts on their ability to forage as they may perceive predator risk.

While it disturbs and disappoints me to see wildlife and ecotourism rising to an extent where exploitation becomes a major risk, I have also seen ecotourism done right, where it can be beneficial to wildlife, ecosystems, and humans alike. For example Love the Oceans in Mozambique and Nature for Change in Sumatra, Indonesia are two such initiatives. Costa Rica is also providing an example of how people, planet and profit can go hand in hand.

© Dani Khan Da Silva

Meanwhile, as responsible tourists it is crucial to be aware of the more subtle impacts our actions might have on local environments, to approach ecotourism opportunities with a critical eye, and to stick to those in which interactions with wildlife are kept to an absolute minimum (unless engaging for intentional, decolonized research purposes).

Personally, I do not know how I feel about these cost-prohibitive experiences and their impact on wildlife. I do not know how I feel about advocating for others to experience this. Every time I spend money to document these things that humans do, it doesn’t feel good until I remember why I’m doing it.

At the same time, when done right—in a way that is reverent, respectful and mindful—I believe ecotourism can be a boon to communities of humans and non-human beings alike. Ecotourism can also be a way to sustain our connections to the non-human world and to protect habitats. Involving Indigenous and local people in these efforts is critical to engaging in a way that is reciprocal. The best systems ensure low impact on the wildlife, require well-trained guides who are incentivized to stick to the regulations, and include ongoing research, management, and habitat protection initiatives.

What I do know, is that our relationship to the world around us needs to change if we are to live up to the great potential we have as human beings—the caretakers of the earth. And what would the world look like—indeed, what would these experiences look like if they were done in a way that sees the water, the land, and all the beings as our relatives.

These are the questions I ask myself as I continue on this simultaneously uplifting yet painful journey.