Friendly Fins to discover cetaceans
- Friendly Fins
- Nov 18, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 7
The world of cetaceans is immense: about 90 species of these extraordinary mammals have been discovered to date, the only ones to live their entire lives in the water. We are talking about whales, dolphins, killer whales, sperm whales, humpback whales, pilot whales and many, many more!
What have we always known about cetaceans?
Since we were children we grew up with the adventures of dolphins like Flipper and killer whales like Free Willy; or we saw them in some aquarium or dolphinarium. Their friendly expression has always created a strong affection towards them, but the life of these animals is not exactly as we have always imagined!
The problem of captivity
There are currently 2,000 cetaceans in captivity around the world, 5,000 specimens have died since the 1950s after being used for a variety of purposes: from shows to military purposes. Before, seeing a cetacean at a dolphinarium was the only way to see it.
In recent years, however, more and more dolphinariums and water parks have closed because people's sensitivity has changed thanks to information and knowledge. Dolphins and killer whales need to be free and swim in their giant home called the ocean!
The new era: whale watching
The opportunity to observe them in their world has arisen, thanks to cetacean sighting, the so-called “whale watching!”. There is no more beautiful experience than being able to admire these wonderful animals while they swim happily in freedom.
What is whale watching?
Besides being beautiful, it is a very educational and sensitizing experience that takes us, via a boat, directly to the places with the greatest presence of cetaceans.
Looking for these animals around the ocean can be as easy as it is complicated, the important thing is to always be optimistic, sharpen your eyesight and never lose heart!
How to prepare for Whale Watching
Carefully choose the right place at the right time. Cetaceans can migrate in search of food or to mate, so if my dream is to meet them, I have to document myself!
Rely on a serious excursion center with competent staff such as a marine biologist. In addition to the sighting in complete safety, why not also learn something more about them?
Bring sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses with polarized lenses (they reduce the reflection of light on the surface of the water, so we can see better!)
Seasickness is a nasty beast that must be fought! There are many medicines to fight it, and many cause heavy soporific effects. Try an excellent natural remedy like ginger, chewing a piece of its extraordinary root will have excellent benefits and you will be able to enjoy the experience awake!
Get ready to board!
How to do conscious whale watching like a true Friendly Fins:
Distance between the boat and the animals
Minimum 300 meters away; without approaching from in front or behind. Once positioned parallel to the animal we can reach 100 m but never less, if it is not the animals that do it.
The boat's course and speed
We always remain parallel to the animals without ever separating the specimens in the group because they could get scared;
We keep the speed of the slowest animal, and in any case do not exceed 5 knots (about 9 km/h);
If we are close, we will put the engine in neutral so as not to risk injuring with the propellers some specimens that escape from the surface.
When the animals approached the boat
We do not try to touch them: neither with our hands nor with various objects because we risk scaring or hurting them;
Let's not throw food at them: they eat plankton or fish and always find it in large quantities, our snack would give them a stomach ache!
We don't go into the water because they could get scared and a swipe of their tail could throw us under the water or even bounce right back onto the beach! It's dangerous.
Let's not make too much noise on the boat because cetaceans are very sensitive to sounds and we could disturb them and risk making them escape.
It is important to follow these rules and listen to the marine biologists on board, a negligence on the part of one could cost the entire sighting for all participants… We all have the right to admire these splendid creatures and we all have the duty to respect and protect them!
False legends about cetaceans
The cetacean par excellence best known by all is the Bottlenose Dolphin, the classic dolphin always chosen for dolphinariums and aquariums. This animal is extremely intelligent but everything it does in the tanks is because it was taught to it by man. Its face with the eternal smile that always inspires tenderness, has often been misunderstood by all of us:
We have always idealized it as an affectionate and domestic animal; but in the sea it is different: in nature they will never come near us to give us a kiss on the cheek or to be petted. They are animals free from any training. The dolphin has its own life and belongs to a very complex social group so let's not think of jumping into the water to bathe among them as we have always seen done, because it could also be dangerous. We can admire their elegance in the water but without ever interacting within their group, always maintaining the right distances and leaving them their living spaces.
What Friendly Fins can do for cetaceans:
Marine waste collection
Cetaceans are among the animals most affected by marine waste both because they eat it and because they get caught in it with the serious risk of drowning and dying. Remember that cetaceans breathe with their lungs and therefore must always return to the surface to breathe. In our small way, Friendly Fins we can remove everything that has nothing to do with the sea both when we snorkel, dive, or walk on the beach. These small gestures could be very satisfying thinking of being able to save a beautiful cetacean!
Climate change
Many cetaceans are migratory species and are now particularly affected by climate change: the increase in temperature brings serious problems such as the scarcity of nourishment in cold foraging waters, anticipating the migration towards warm waters without the necessary amount of fat. This increase in temperatures can be countered by paying daily attention to our habits. Each one of us doing his small part can really save the planet and thus also our cetacean friends!
The whale meat problem:
We are not talking about Japan here, but about Northern Europe where whale is a typical traditional dish. Unfortunately, there is nothing more difficult than convincing those on holiday to give up a local experience, such as tasting a typical dish. Remember Friendly Fins: the problem is not who fishes but who buys!!! It is not that if it is already dead, it is worth eating because for every whale sold another is killed because there will always be demand! Something to think about…
The Importance of Citizen Science:
This activity is one of the most beautiful that we can do to contribute to the research and protection of cetaceans!
What is it? Science for everyone! Everyone can do it and with extreme ease!
What do you need to do it? Spirit of observation and a camera!
How does it work? Each cetacean has unique distinctive signs:
The caudal fin is specific, that is, the humpback whale will have a different one than the sperm whale and so on.
They can have scars, scratches, grooves, humps specific to each specimen!
What does this mean?
Photograph an animal (or what emerges from the water!), detect the geographical coordinates and send everything to the experts. The latter have the database of all the animals identified in that specific area and not only; therefore they will be able to study the life, age, migrations that a certain specimen makes as the testimonies from all the whale watching tourists arrive.
It is a beautiful thing for Friendly Fins to contribute to its research and therefore to the conservation of these splendid animals! Who knows, if you discover an animal not yet identified you can also give it the name you like!!!
If you want to know more about these beautiful animals click here!
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