| Whale Watching Effects |
 Research published by scientists here at the Whale Center of New England suggests that heavy whale watching boat activity in the coastal waters off of Massachusetts is not having harmful effects on the calving intervals, or calf survival, of humpback whales.The study is one of the first to look beyond short-term disturbance studies and determine whether tourist traffic is having effects on an individual's life history parameters and its ultimate effects on the population's ability to thrive.
The findings were published in a recent issue of Biological Conservation, a peer-reviewed research journal. News coverage of the findings is also available. NPR interview with Whale Center Chief Scientist, Mason Weinrich. |