3 days Ago
A photographer gets too close to a humpback whale. Swimming alongside wild dolphins or whales may feel like a once-in-a-lifetime bucket-list experience. The glossy images and the awe-inspiring reels on social media show serene encounters in crystal-clear waters that sell the illusion of harmony between humans and marine life.
However, numerous scientific studies confirm that irresponsible interactions can stress marine life, disrupt natural behaviors and even put the animals travelers seek to admire at risk. Ethical wildlife viewing isn’t just about where you go or what you see. It is also about choosing the right tour and knowing how to behave once you are there.
Making informed choices helps protect both the animals and their ecosystems. According to the World Cetacean Alliance (WCA) 's Global Best Practise Guide , responsible whale and dolphin watching can inspire travelers, support marine conservation, and boost local economic and social sustainability. However, watching them from a boat and swimming with them in open water are two completely different things.
A woman is swimming with a group of wild spinner dolphins in the Atlantic Ocean. Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) 's Position Statement contains plenty of references to research about how swim-with tours affect marine life. Dolphins exposed to swimmers rest, socialize and forage less.
After the encounters, they require nearly 50% more time to resume feeding and recupe their lost energy. New Zealand banned swimming with dolphins back in 2019, as reported by Euronews , to reverse the 66% decline in bottle-nose dolphins visiting the waters near the Bay of Islands and a 65% decline in calf mortality rate. Hawaii followed its example in 2021 when the Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibited swimming with or coming within a 50-yard proximity of Hawaiian spinner dolphins within 2 miles of Hawaii’s coast, as reported by Lonely Planet .
However, there are several destinations across the globe, where swimming with dolphins is not illegal. WCA’s Global Best Practise Guide recommends that these locations allow a maximum of eight swimmers to hold onto a surface rope to minimize disruption. Swimming near whale calves or dolphin nursery groups should remain strictly prohibited.
Selfie sticks, cameras with flashes and any motorized equipment should also be banned to prevent intrusive interactions. Swimming with humpback whales, Tonga in Polynesia. According to WDC’s Position Statement, humpback whales reduce resting time by 50% during swim-with tours, leading to higher energy loss and potential implications for population recovery.
Research also suggests that stress from overwhelming encounters negatively impacts calf mortality and birth rate. While Mauritius and Mexico have banned swimming with whales, French Polynesia, Tonga, Niue and the Cook Islands continue to offer these experiences. From July to November, humpback whales migrate to The Islands of Tahiti to reproduce and care for their young, but swimming with them is only allowed from August to mid-November.
Association Oceania is a non-profit organization operating from the island of Moorea, French Polynesia. Based on its records, 934-1849 humpback whales visit French Polynesia’s waters each year out of the world’s humpback whale population of 84,000. In 2023, it recorded 954 sightings.
Seven islands have tour operators accredited by the French Polynesian Environment Direction that offer visitors a chance to swim with whales under regulated conditions. The representative of Tahiti Tourism also told me in an email interview that they audit 1-4 sessions every week in coordination with nautical brigade of the area to ensure compliance. Authorized suppliers have to follow the rules such as minimum distance of 330 feet between the boat and the whale, 100 feet between the swimmer and the whale, 15 minutes for each encounter and 12 people on one boat.
Whale watching is only allowed in open water and prohibited in passes, bays and lagoons. Dr. M.
Michael Poole is a marine biologists living in Moorea for 25 years. He published 55 studies as part of his Marine Mammal Research Program to date. He is the founder of French Polynesia’s first whale-watching tours, Dolphin & Whale Watching Expeditions since 1992.
He said in the email interview that “the wildlife sanctuary legislation that I wrote and got passed in 2002 specified that snorkelers could approach to 30 meters.” However, he calls for an even stricter legislations, noting that there are "too many companies, too many boats, and too many people in the water. Many snorkelers have not respected even the 15 meter limit.
” He believes that educating visitors to respect marine wildlife is the only way to safeguard it. The future of this marine sanctuary depends on tour operators and individuals holding themselves to high standards. “Whale watching tours here in French Polynesia, if closely monitored and correctly undertaken, have been and can continue to be a positive factor for the local economy, and have been and can continue to be positive experiences for the participants of those tours,” he said.
He expressed his hope that “if people know more, and if they have a moving experience—whether from the boat or in the water—they are more likely to care deeply about the animals and their environment, and may be more willing to take concrete measures to ensure those animals and their habitat can survive and thrive.” Three women are touching a gray whale calf swimming close to their boat in the waters of San Ignacio ..
. More Lagoon, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Baja California Sur is a world-renowned whale-watching destination, home to 27 cetacean species , 33% of the world’s total.
However, not all whales behave the same way. Understanding the differences between species is crucial for ethical wildlife encounters. Regina Domingo, director at Nakawe Project and wildlife expedition leader at Baja Adventures , dedicated the past 12 years to conservation and regenerative tourism.
She shared in an email interview that gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) is unique in its interaction with boats. They often approach them in the shallow Pacific lagoons of Baja California, where they congregate from January to April. These whales are often covered in barnacles, and she believes they may seek contact with boats as they would approach rocks to alleviate irritation.
There are plenty of videos where you can see that travelers pat them if they come close, but that is the closest you should get to respect them. Mexico’s NOM-131-SEMARNAT-2010 sets strict guidelines to ensure that whale watching is responsible. Swimming, jet skiing and other close-contact activities are strictly prohibited.
Only four boats, identified by a SEMARNAT flag, can observe a whale simultaneously, with a 30-minute time limit per group and a speed limit of 5 knots. They should stay at least 200-260 feet away, while non-permitted vessels 800 feet away. Domingo also highlighted that tourists should avoid assuming that all whales are naturally inclined to interact with humans.
Other cetaceans in the region, especially the migratory species, will not seek any encounters. "They are there to feed, mate, nurse their young, and prepare for the next phase of their journey," she says. A scientist is swimming with a whale shark in Exmouth, Ningaloo Reef, Ningaloo Marine Park, Western .
.. More Australia.
Whale shark tourism began at Ningaloo Marine Park in 1989, home to the world’s largest known congregation of these gentle giants. Later in 2011, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Each year, whale sharks arrive in the waters of Ningaloo in March and stay until July.
Some years, they remain in the area until August, September, or even October. A representative from Tourism Western Australia shared in an email interview that only one boat per whale shark is allowed for a maximum of 90 minutes while maintaining a minimum of 98-foot distance and speed under six knots. Swimmers (at most ten) must snorkel instead of scuba dive and avoid any motorized equipment and cameras underwater.
Since whale sharks have shown sensitivity to bubbles due to scuba diving, physical contact and flash photography, Western Australia is leading by example and enforcing strict regulations such as restricting these activities. To assess whether the region’s best practices represent the "golden rules" of responsible whale shark tourism, researchers from The University of Queensland, the Harry Butler Institute at Murdoch University, ECOCEAN Inc., the University of the Sunshine Coast, and Swansea University in the UK conducted a biotelemetry study in Ningaloo Marine Park.
The study ( published in February 2024 ) found that whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef have minimal exposure to tourism. Since most whale sharks are present for only three or fewer days per year, and each spends an average of 62 minutes daily interacting with tourists, this accounts for just 4% of their daily activity. Unlike in other regions, such as Tofo Beach in Mozambique and Phuket in Thailand, studies (cited in the one about Ningaloo) documented declining whale shark populations and named the lack of official regulations and permit requirements a contributing factor.
A manta ray and a scuba diver near Meemu Atoll in the Maldives. The Manta Trust reported over 104,000 sightings of more than 5,500 different reef manta rays throughout 20 years in the Maldives, making the population here the largest in the world. Sightings are consistent and year-round, but locations vary depending on the monsoon season.
In an email interview, David DiGregorio, a representative for Visit Maldives in the United States named Hanifaru Bay in Baa Atoll as the best place to go snorkeling between May and November. From December to April, Ari Atoll is the prime destination for scuba diving with manta rays. Developed by the Manta Trust and the Maldivian government, the Code of Conduct for Manta Ray Interactions includes keeping a minimum 3-meter distance, avoiding contact or blocking their path, no flash photography, and limiting group size to prevent overcrowding.
Divers and snorkelers must remain passive at all times. “While no manta-specific licenses are not required, only valid diving and snorkeling permits, many tour operators voluntarily collaborate with organizations like the Manta Trust and Maldives Marine Research Institute (MMRI) to ensure responsible tourism practices,” he said. A joint study by The Manta Trust and the University of York analyzed over 400 video recordings collected across two months at five feeding aggregation sites in Baa Atoll, Maldives, aiming to assess how snorkelers’ in-water behavior impacted the feeding patterns of manta rays.
They found that the majority of manta ray encounters with snorkelers were passive and did not result in disruptions.However, certain behaviors, such as approaching within 3 meters, blocking a manta’s path, or diving from the front, significantly increased the likelihood of stress responses, particularly among juvenile manta rays. The researchers concluded that most disruptions were unintentional, highlighting the need for better tourist awareness.
And indeed, "marine biologists and NGOs help monitor interactions and report violations, while many resorts provide guest briefings on proper behavior," he said. Diving in a marine protected area is a privilege, not a right—and the same goes for swimming with whales, sharks, rays, or any other marine animals. For many it is a bucket-list experience, but it is important to make informed choices.
Ask questions like: Does the operator follow a code of conduct? Are interactions regulated and respectful? What is the safe distance? How do local laws protect the species? But most importantly, how should you behave not to cause any stress to the animals. Responsible encounters start with curiosity about the wildlife, the destination and your own impact, but it should end with respecting their natural life and habitat..
