Press Release

New study finds that working in wildlife tourism can act as an incentive for the conservation of marine species

Philippines. 22 March 2021, A new study by researchers from the University of Victoria (CA) and Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines has found that working in wildlife tourism can act as an incentive for the conservation of marine species. Community-based whale shark tourism workers had more protectionist views, recognising the inherent value of wildlife, and were more likely to report positive changes in their attitudes and behaviours to protect whale sharks.

Press Release

Long term study reveals no improvement in the impact of the whale shark tourism in Oslob, Philippines over 6 years

A new study by researchers from the Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines (LAMAVE) and published in the journal Royal Society Open Science show the continuous impacts of provisioning (hand feeding) on the behavior of whale sharks in Oslob, Philippines and how the tourism industry is failing to comply with regulations to protect this endangered species.

PRESS RELEASE

Ecotourism Transforms Attitudes to marine conservation

A study has shown how ecotourism in the Philippines has transformed people’s attitudes towards marine conservation. Researchers from LAMAVE and University of Victoria in Canada visited three sites where tourists pay to swim with whale sharks in the wild. They interviewed a range of locals who work for the tour operators in Oslob, Donsol and Pintuyan, including fishers and ex-whale shark hunters.

NEWS

Collaborative efforts highlight the long-distance movements of whale sharks in the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion

The whale shark is a highly mobile species, broadly distributed, that can cross boundaries without anyone realising. A recent study in the Philippines highlighted the movement of whale sharks between one site in Palawan, and Malaysia and Indonesia. These results also highlighted the utility of the general public in collecting data for research programmes.

PRESS RELEASE

Controlling a whale shark mass tourism destination: new study investigates crowding and tourist expectations

A new scientific study by Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines (LAMAVE) and the University of Victoria (Canada) reveals that overcrowding is a significant issue for Oslob whale shark watching tours. The study presents management interventions aimed at improving the tourist experience and recommends reducing tourist numbers to 500 daily visitors….

STATEMENT

LAMAVE’s position on emerging whale shark tourism in Bohol

Whale shark tourism activities have emerged from Lila and Baclayon, Bohol where whale sharks are or were provisioned to facilitate tourism interactions. In line with the Philippines commitment to lead and promote sustainable tourism across South East Asia (UNEP/CMS/CoP12/doc.26.2.7), as well as the Vision and Mission of the Province of Bohol, where the province is an eco-cultural tourism destination committed to sound environmental management, LAMAVE does not support these initiatives.

LAMAVE Newsroom

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