Coastal waters of Ecuador are constantly visited by several species of whales and dolphins. Between June and October we are visited by Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaengliae) that come here to mate and deliver their young. They spend the remainder of the year feeding in Antarctic waters, but once a year they carry out one of the longest migrations of any animal on the planet to mate on our coastline.
Whale watching tourism has become a major income for thousands of Ecuadorian families who have found this to be a valid and sustainable alternative to the declining fishing industry.
WHALES ARE THREATENED
In the last century whales have been hunted irresponsibly, and this has carried them to the edge of extinction. In 1986 a prohibition decreed by the International Whaling Commission (IWC )went into effect for the termination of commercial hunting of whales in all the oceans of the world. This measure has meant that some species such as the Hunchback have recovered, albeit slowly. However, others such as The Blue Whale have not had the same success, and in spite of the fact that they have not been hunted since 1966 their numbers continue to be extremely low; unfortunately we may have gone too far with them and probably they will never recover.
Currently, hunting and fishing are not the only threats for whales and other marine mammals. Global warming has caused significant changes in their habitats, and together with increasing boat traffic, fishing nets, and the pollution of the sea, it is calculated that over 100,000 whales and dolphins die every year at the cost of our daily actions. Clearly, it is therefore irresponsible for us to continue to intentionally kill whales since they are already so close to a point of extinction
Incredibly, Ecuador was not member of the IWC, the only organization capable of protecting whales against hunting in international waters.
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