Tourists who carry out shark eco-tourism or have a negative impact on shark behavior, according to the latest international research
Springer Nature's open access academic journal Science Report recently published a research paper on ecological protection. It is believed that tourists carrying out shark eco-tourism may increase the possibility of whale sharks showing disturbed behavior patterns, which are similar to fast, zigzag movements related to avoiding predators. This study findings suggest that ecotourism may have a significant impact on the foraging and potential reproductive behavior of whale sharks.
A juvenile whale shark is foraging in the Gulf of La Paz, Mexico. Springer, Natural Illustrations
The paper introduced that shark ecotourism is an industry worth millions of dollars, but little was known about its potential ecological impact. Previous studies have shown that shark ecotourism is related to the decline of shark species in some ecotourism spots, but the research on the impact of ecotourism on shark behavior is still unclear.
The first author and corresponding author of the paper, Joel H. Gayford from Imperial College London, along with colleagues and Mexican collaborators, analyzed 39 overhead whale shark videos in La Paz Bay, Mexico. They compared the behavior of a whale shark while a swimmer mimicking the behavior of an ecotourism enthusiast was present with that of a shark swimming alone to evaluate whether there were any changes. They observed an increase in disturbed behavior patterns in the presence of swimmers, which may lead to whale sharks expending more energy than when swimming alone. This change in behavior may make it more difficult for whale sharks to forage and may even affect their reproductive success.
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The author concludes that the findings of this study indicate that the operators of shark ecotourism should be encouraged to assess the behavior of individual sharks before allowing swimmers to enter the water, and should re-examine the minimum distance between tourists and sharks. They also proposed that further research on the ecological impact of shark ecotourism is needed to properly assess the consequences of the industry for different species.