Observe better, yes. But more with respect for the animal.
An off-season observation
According to the description of a video posted on the association's Facebook, they were swimming “peacefully a few hundred meters from Le Souffleur” (violent jet of spray which forms under the blows of the swell on the coast of Saint-Leu). The videographer is present on the coast.
Several comments highlight and rejoice at the absence of boats present to follow them. Indeed, even if they are only observation boats, “ultimately, permanent interaction between observation boats and cetaceans may also lead to the abandonment of certain sectors.s,” says Globice.
Taking stock of the season
November is the ideal time to take stock of the 2024 whale season, since off the coast of Reunion Island it extends from June to October. If it did not beat the record of 2023, where no less than 1,156 whales were recorded, 2024 remains a relatively fruitful year in terms of sightings.
For Globice, (Local cetacean observation and identification group), an NGO dedicated to the science and conservation of cetaceans in Reunion and the Indian Ocean, the 2024 season may look pale but remains a good one. season if we take into account “the overall history”. In mid-September, 360 cetaceans were seen.
Balèn terla, the application for observing whales in a more precise and respectful way
Called Balèn terla, available on IOS and Android since June 15, this application available in French, Creole and English, allows you to identify the best observation spots, to report whale sightings in real time, to access to information on the cetaceans of Réunion, to dialogue with the community of observers…
It is finally a real must have for cetacean enthusiasts and individuals wishing to observe whales. As Jean-Marc Gancille, communications, awareness and development manager at Globice, indicated to Imaz Press, no less than 23,000 people downloaded the application during the season.
Every year the whale season brings its share of tourists who ignore the majority of the codes to respect so as not to disturb the environment of cetaceans. “In recent years we have seen an explosion in the number of boats taking tourists or boaters who come to see these animals. There are certainly regulations that govern all of this, but today we are facing more of a quantitative problem than a qualitative one.” underlined Jean-Marc Gancille.
