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WWF-Russia tells tourist about sustainable ways of wild watching
WWF-Russia tells tourist about sustainable ways of wild watching
07 september 2021
WWF-Russia and Kronotsky State Reserve, with support from Kinder®, installed information stands that provide tourists recommendations on sustainable marine mammal watching. The stands can be found near the piers where tourist boats are moored in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
The stands are located in three marinas where boat tours usually start. The infographics explain how to approach, observe, and avoid any interaction with wild orcas, whales, sea lions, and sea otters. The stands were installed as part of the joint project of WWF-Russia and Kinder® aimed at the conservation of the marine mammals of the North Pacific.
Tourists express increasing interest in the life and habits of wild animals which can cause a negative impact on marine mammals. Noise pollution from motorboats and drones as well as chasing the wild animals can frighten marine mammals forcing them to avoid humans, keep their distance from tourists, and spend less time at the surface. Due to such disturbance, if conducted on regular basis, animals rest and feed less, which can even lead to a decrease in a population. Awareness of a simple code of conduct can let tourists observe marine mammals in close proximity and minimize recreation disturbance to wildlife.
A booklet with the same useful information is also downloadable from WWF-Russia's website or Kronotsky State Reserve website. An extended version of the booklet in the form of a lecture was presented at the workshop conducted by the scientists from FEROP (Far East Russia Orca Project) supported by WWF-Russia and Kronotsky State Reserve. The video of the workshop is available in Russian here.
The joint project of WWF-Russia and Kinder® is aimed generally at marine mammal conservation. Sea otters and Steller sea lions in particular. In 2020, an expedition to the Northern Kuril Islands was undertaken as part of the project. The results of the expedition may help scientists identify major threats to the declining sea otter population of the region, devise measures to stabilize it and prevent further degradation of the regional marine ecosystems.
photo in the preview © Evgenia Volkova
photo in the header © Evgeniy Mamaev