Every day in Zanzibar is “hunting” to the dolphins: dozens of boats surround them to swim tourists with them (but the damage is enormous)

In Zanzibar the postcard image hides a daily drama: i dolphinsonce a symbol of the marine wealth of the archipelago, they are becoming the main ones victims of mass tourism. Every day, dozens of boats charged with tourists plow the waters of the Indian Ocean with a single goal: meet the dolphins and swim with them. But this apparently harmless practice has devastating consequences.

The demand for close experiences with marine fauna gave birth to a very profitable market. Tour operators often often without environmental regulationsbring visitors to Largo, where They surround the herds of dolphinschase them and force them towards the surface. Some tourists even dive into the water to “live the emotion” of swimming next to them, creating a real own daily hunting.

This pressure continues cause acute stress to animalsalters their natural behaviors and compromises their ability to feed, reproduce and communicate. The result is a marine ecosystem in crisiswith increasingly rare dolphins in the most beaten areas.

The environmental and social impact

In addition to the direct damage to fauna, disordered tourism He also damages corals and submarine habitats which support the entire ecological balance of the area. The overcrowding of boats contributes to polluting the water and degrade the seabedwhile the continuous presence of human beings moves out other sensitive species.

The same inhabitants of the island, although economically benefiting from tourism, begin to suffer the environmental consequences: less fish, polluted water, quality of life falling. It is a paradox in which the economy grows by destroying its own base.

Some protection measures begin to be introduced, such as the Closed number of visitors on some protected islands or the payment of environmental rates. But that’s not enough. A cultural change is needed: visitors must understand that theresponsible observation of animals, from an adequate distance and without disturbances, is the only way to guarantee the survival of dolphins And the conservation of paradise they admire so much. Zanzibar can still choose to become a model of conscious eco-tourism. But to do it, you have to stop chasing the dolphins and start protecting them.