Researchers led by the University of South Florida published a study in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism that used drone footage to assess tourism at El Azul, a 400-square-kilometre whale shark aggregation site off the Yucatán coast. Coauthors were from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the University of Manitoba. Lucas Griffin was the senior author and began the project after he noticed chaotic tour behaviour on a family trip. Drones recorded boat movements, swimmer interactions and the number of sharks feeding at the surface.
At the time of the study, Mexican regulations allowed a single boat per whale shark, two swimmers and one guide in the water, and a five-metre distance from the shark's head and tail. The researchers documented hundreds of violations, including boats approaching too close, swimmers touching sharks and crowding within prohibited distances. Infractions rose as more boats arrived and also increased when many sharks fed at once.
The study found violations even when vessel numbers were below the regulatory cap of 120 vessels. Drones recorded up to 82 boats in 2016 and 68 boats in 2022. A patrol boat had little effect because vessels were spread over a large area and swimmers often did not know enforcement was nearby. The authors recommend stronger self-regulation by guides and operators, improved monitoring such as drones, and longer-term investment. The team is testing accelerometer-based tags to measure how disturbances affect shark energy use and health.
Difficult words
- aggregation — a large group of animals in one area
- footage — video recording of an event or place
- violation — action that breaks a rule or lawviolations
- enforcement — action to make people follow rules
- monitoring — watching something for changes or problems
- regulation — official rule set by authorities for controlregulations
- cap — an upper limit or maximum allowed number
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of using drones to monitor wildlife tourism at sites like El Azul?
- How could guides and operators improve self-regulation to reduce violations?
- Do you think longer-term investment in monitoring and research is important for animal health? Why or why not?
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