Animal attractions or activities are incredibly popular for tourists around the world. Whether your going on safari in Africa or visiting incredible zoos across America, encounters with wildlife can be major itinerary highlights. However, the issues of ethics and animal wellbeing have come further to the forefront of travel discourse over the past few decades. There are upsetting reasons why you may want to avoid some wildlife activities.
Swimming in the ocean can bring you into entirely new worlds under the water’s surface. You might even get a chance to spot whales. We consulted with Kristyn Plancarte, a marine biologist and educational content creator, to learn about getting close to these massive creatures — or not. Plancarte actually wants all travelers to resist the potential excitement of getting close to a whale for its wellbeing. “There are a lot of recent studies that have found whales and dolphins experience high levels of stress when humans are present, and our presence disrupts their natural behaviors,” she explained. Plancarte cited less resting and less eating as examples of changes in natural whale behaviors when humans are around. Some whale species are endangered and vital to their ecosystems as well.
Do your research before booking a whale watching boat tour
