Whale sharks spend a lot of time cruising just below the surface of the ocean, feeding on plankton and small animals. This puts them right in the path of boats.
Shark ecotourism helps drive shark conservation efforts
A study has shown how ecotourism in the Philippines has transformed people’s attitudes towards marine conservation.
Why a live shark is more valuable than its fins
With ecotourism, a country has the opportunity to benefit financially from live sharks. In 2013, 600,000 tourists observing sharks spent more than $314 million a year, supporting 10,000 jobs (Barnes, 2013). Comparatively, a dead shark is worth much less- a bowl of shark fin soup currently sells for as much as US$100. International markets have […]
Shining A Light on Lighthouse Point in the Bahamas
Disney Cruise Lines has received permission from the Government of the Bahamas to push ahead with plans for a massive cruise ship port at the heritage site in South Eleuthera called Lighthouse Point. Conservation groups are calling the plan disastrous, causing irreparable harm to the pristine environment. Last Chance for Lighthouse Point hopes to spare […]
Safety tips for cage diving with sharks
Are you mesmerized by sharks? Are you interested in seeing them in all of their toothy splendor in their natural habitat? Perhaps diving with sharks should be on your 2019 bucket list. Exposing tourists to sharks has considerable potential to enhance a participant’s knowledge, attitude and behaviour towards sharks, and support their conservation, including an […]
Shark watchers may have negative effects on coral reefs
As further proof of why we as humans can’t have nice things, a new study found that a massive increase in ecotourism revolving around whale sharks is having disastrous effects on the surrounding ecosystem. Researchers from the University of Hong Kong, the University of Guam, and the Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines found that […]