THE’increase in marine tourism in Mauritius is having serious consequences for the sperm whalesan already vulnerable species. After the pandemic, the island has in fact seen a strong increase in whale watching activitieswith dozens of boats coming through every day surround the cetaceansputting their well-being at risk.
This unregulated practice has negative effects on the behavior of sperm whales, altering their natural habitat and increasing the risk of injury caused by boats. A recent incident in the Black River area highlighted the seriousness of the situation: a sperm whale, suddenly woken up by a group of tourists while he was sleeping, showed signs of stress and aggression.
Experts point out that getting too close to these animals, especially when they are in a state of rest, represents a danger for both animals and swimmers. In another case, a sperm whale was seriously injured by the propeller of a motorboathighlighting the dangers of marine overtourism.
Many, too many tourists swim with the whales to post the moment on social media
Local organizations, such as Savetheblu, have called for one stricter regulation of whale-watching tourismto ensure the protection of these animals. François Sarano, an expert oceanographer, underlined the urgency of limiting tourist access and taking measures to reduce human impact on marine ecosystems.
But the problems don’t end there because there have been parallel ones an increase in touristsespecially from China and Taiwan, attracted by the possibility of swim with the whales and capture the moment on social media.
Platforms like Xiaohongshu are flooded with spectacular photos of people swimming alongside cetaceans, often disturbing the animals during the reproductive period. In response, Mauritius has recently implemented stricter laws, banning swimming with whales and imposing large fines and prison sentences for offenders.
Despite these efforts, the problem persists due to growing tourism demand. To protect the sperm and humpback whales that frequent the waters of Mauritius, experts propose following the example of other nations, such as Dominica and Argentina, which have developed sustainable tourism models for cetacean observationwith the aim of preserving the marine ecosystem. And we ask ourselves once again: is there really a need to disturb these splendid animals by putting us and them in danger for a simple selfie?
