Travel
Growth Of Whale Watching Tourism by Kelly Hunter
(Contd. from page 1...)
There are many different breed of whales throughout the world's waters, and at least as many ways to observe them. You can stay on dry land, appreciate and aerial view from a small plane or helicopter, or even take a cruise. You can kill an hour, an entire day, or a couple of weeks. It can cost up to thousands of dollars per person, or as little as it takes to buy a movie ticket.
If a whale watching excursion is part of your vacation itinerary, it might be a good idea not to schedule very strictly on the day of your tour. The ocean is not the same as going to the zoo. You will be dealing with real, untamed animals that are not going to conform to a time slot. It is very much a "hurry up and wait" kind of activity, and as such, may not be appropriate for smaller children.
Like many of our natural resources, some kinds of whales have been hunted to near extinction. Most animal rights and environmental groups support whale watching activities because they draw attention to the problem without being very invasive to the animals. A little good press can go along way to making people realize what a precious resource nature is. Having the opportunity to witness the majesty of whales in their natural habitat is the best way to impress upon people what is at stake if we take no steps to protect the animals and their homes.