Whale watching

Whale watching is a term used to describe the tourist activity of going to observe wild whales in their natural habitat.

A marine form of ecotourism, this practice has been developed commercially in an extensive manner over the past twenty years. Whale watching has made a large number of people aware of the protection of marine mammals, but is sometimes criticised because a few deviations and excesses may have disturbed and stressed the animals observed. This has led the managers of reserves, nature associations and a few countries to adopt regulations governing this activity. The best example is perhaps France, with the code of conduct in the Pelagos Sanctuary in the Mediterranean.