WHALES OF PARADISE
Sri Lanka is located on one of the most important cetacean migratory routes in the world. This means the probability of spotting Blue Whales, Sperm Whales, Humpback Whales, and Spinner Dolphins within Sri Lanka’s territorial waters is very high. In the period between December and April, the southern coast of Sri Lanka becomes the best place in the world for whale watching where sightings are usually reported daily.
WHALE WATCHING IN SRI LANKA
Whale watching tours at Mirissa usually start in the morning and can last up to 7 hours. Several tour operators run whale watching expeditions and the charges vary according to the type of service they provide.
In recent times some visitors have raised concerns about unethical whale watching tours that were operated without due care and attention to the welfare of the whales. The main difference between ethical and unethical whale watching tours is whether the welfare of the marine life is taken into consideration.
Ethical tours will always operate at a safe distance from the marine life, whilst unethical tour boats have often been seen chasing the whales and getting dangerously close. This type of irresponsible behaviour can easily cause injury to the whales if the boats collide with them. Visitors can help to change these unsafe practices by opting to book their tours with ethical tour operators who follow international whale watching standards.
