The non-lethal use of whales for tourism is a growing activity throughout the countries in Central America, and particularly Costa Rica.
The activity, know as whale watching has grown 74% in the last 10 years, a considerable increase if you compare it with that of other countries like Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, and Argentina, where tourism of this type grew between 15% and 19%.
This activity directly benefits 91 communities from 18 countries and has quadrupled its potential at a regional level in the last 15 years, generating around $280 million just in Latin America, according to data from the International fund for Animal Welfare, Global Ocean, and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.
There are eight main communities that benefit from whale watching on the Pacific coast and one on the Atlantic coast in Costa Rica. There are some 52 whale watching operators in these areas at these locations that, in 2007, took in around 100,000 tourists, with the majority (85%) being foreigners.
The Humpback whale is the most widely viewed cetacean on the Costa Rican coasts because it is very migratory. It spends the summer in the cold waters at high latitudes and reproduces in tropical or subtropical climates. This species has been protected since 1967. Today there are less than 10,000 of this species worldwide.
The activity, know as whale watching has grown 74% in the last 10 years, a considerable increase if you compare it with that of other countries like Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, and Argentina, where tourism of this type grew between 15% and 19%.
This activity directly benefits 91 communities from 18 countries and has quadrupled its potential at a regional level in the last 15 years, generating around $280 million just in Latin America, according to data from the International fund for Animal Welfare, Global Ocean, and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.There are eight main communities that benefit from whale watching on the Pacific coast and one on the Atlantic coast in Costa Rica. There are some 52 whale watching operators in these areas at these locations that, in 2007, took in around 100,000 tourists, with the majority (85%) being foreigners.
The Humpback whale is the most widely viewed cetacean on the Costa Rican coasts because it is very migratory. It spends the summer in the cold waters at high latitudes and reproduces in tropical or subtropical climates. This species has been protected since 1967. Today there are less than 10,000 of this species worldwide.
Source: I.C.T. 16 july, 2008
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