INTRODUCTION:
Over 28 species of cetaceans have been documented in the waters off Southern California, including a variety of large whale species, such as endangered blue, fin and humpback whales. These species are often seen feeding in coastal waters along Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego Counties – home to over 10 million people – during Spring, Summer and Fall. Also common in Spring, Summer and Fall in Southern California is coastal recreation: boating, jetskiing, kayaking paddleboarding, etc. which creates an overlap in critical habitat for foraging whales.
WhaleSAFE was developed in response to numerous incidents of extreme close approaches to whales, creating potentially hazardous situations for both people and whales. Close vessel approach can induce stress leading to long term impacts such as reproductive failure, foraging failure, and immune system decline. By encouraging viewing from a safe distance, we remove the potential stress on the whales, and the potential risk of injury on humans.
Over 28 species of cetaceans have been documented in the waters off Southern California, including a variety of large whale species, such as endangered blue, fin and humpback whales. These species are often seen feeding in coastal waters along Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego Counties – home to over 10 million people – during Spring, Summer and Fall. Also common in Spring, Summer and Fall in Southern California is coastal recreation: boating, jetskiing, kayaking paddleboarding, etc. which creates an overlap in critical habitat for foraging whales.
WhaleSAFE was developed in response to numerous incidents of extreme close approaches to whales, creating potentially hazardous situations for both people and whales. Close vessel approach can induce stress leading to long term impacts such as reproductive failure, foraging failure, and immune system decline. By encouraging viewing from a safe distance, we remove the potential stress on the whales, and the potential risk of injury on humans.
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GOALS:
The WhaleSAFE mission is to promote fun, safe and educational whale watching, and to become the recognized practices for worldwide whale watching. GUIDELINES: These easy-to-understand safety guidelines provide a fun and safe experience for whales and whale watchers alike. |
HOW CAN YOU HELP:
Visit us at OneMission to learn about there are 3 easy ways YOU can support our project:
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