SUFB 1214: Do swim-with-whale tours impact humpback whale behavior in Hervey Bay, Australia with Stephanie Stack

Swim-with-whale tour operators are popping up in various places around the world. The idea of getting in the water and swimming with humpback whales nearby can be a dream come true for many people; however, the tour operators are running without any regulations to ensure that the tours are not altering the behavior of the humpback whales. 

The humpback whales that hang out in Hervey Bay, Australia every year do so to rest during their long migration from Australia to Antarctica. The trip requires a ton of energy to move such large bodies that distance in the ocean. Any excess energy used can be detrimental to the migration of the whales. 

Stephanie Stack, Chief Scientist at the Pacific Whale Foundation, and her team studied the humpback whale behavior before, during, and after swim-with-whale tours and whale watching tours occurred in Hervey Bay.  

Stephanie joins me on today's podcast to discuss the results of the study and what next steps need to be taken. 

Connect with Stephanie:
Pacific Whale Foundation: https://www.pacificwhale.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StephanieHStack
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shstack/
Happy Whale: https://happywhale.com/home

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