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Marine megafauna
Marine megafauna
Sri Lanka has a special population of blue whales ...
Blue whales are endangered globally with only a 10-25K whales left; ~500 whales or 2-5% of global population is found in Sri Lanka
There is a distinct sub-species of blue whales in Sri Lanka, a portion of which reside in Sri Lankan waters all year round
Whales contribute to nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration, playing a critical role in maintaining health of marine ecosystems
Whale watching is a popular tourist attraction in
Sri Lanka
...protecting their wellbeing is important
Detailed data on whale population health is scarce. However, whale watching operators have found that whale sightings have reduced significantly
Whales are facing disturbances from shipping traffic, there is an overlap of crucial whale habitats and busy shipping lanes in the south of Sri Lanka
Careless and harmful whale watching practices may be affecting whale feeding and breeding behaviour
Sri Lanka has a special population of blue whales
Blue whales are endangered globally with only a 10-25K whales left; ~500 whales or 2-5% of global population is found in Sri Lanka
There is a distinct sub-species of blue whales in Sri Lanka, a portion of which reside in Sri Lankan waters all year round
Whales contribute to nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration, playing a critical role in maintaining health of marine ecosystems
Whale watching is a popular tourist attraction in Sri Lanka
…but its unique ecosystems are under-protected
and under-connected
Detailed data on whale population health is scarce However, whale watching operators have found that whale sightings have reduced significantly and whale mortalities attributed to ships strikes have been observed
Whales are facing disturbances from shipping traffic, there is an overlap of crucial whale habitats and busy shipping lanes in the south of Sri Lanka
Careless and harmful whale watching practices may be affecting whale feeding and breeding behavior
Our Ambition
Safeguard the health of whales in Sri Lankan waters
Interventions
Develop world class whale watching industry with strengthened regulations and enforcement to minimize negative effects on whales
USD 2–3 Mn
Introduce solutions to minimize disturbances from shipping traffic
USD 3–4 Mn
Improve research and monitoring for improved understanding of whale population, movement and behavioral patterns
USD 2–3 Mn
Total cost 2025-2030
USD 7–10 Mn
Our Ambition
Safeguard the health of whales in Sri Lankan waters
Interventions
Develop world class whale watching industry with strengthened regulations and enforcement to minimize negative effects on whales
USD 2-3 Mn
Introduce solutions to minimize disturbances from shipping traffic
USD 3-4 Mn
Improve research and monitoring for improved understanding of whale population, movement and behavioral patterns
USD 2-3 Mn
Total cost 2025-2030
USD 7-10 Mn
Impact potential
500+ blue whales
protected, along with marine ecosystems and other marine mammals
~16,500 tons
carbon sequestered by blue whale population over lifetime
USD ~40 Mn
whale watching industry boosted, with higher annual revenue growth potential
Road map
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