Forbidden Swimming: Sperm Whales in Danger: When Tourism Swims Against the Tide

Despite a formal ban, swimming with sperm whales continues to take place in the Mauritian lagoon. This illegal tourism activity, which has turned into a significant parallel industry, seriously endangers these marine mammals and exposes the flaws of an ineffective regulatory system.

For several years, dozens of boats have left the shores of Western Mauritius every morning, often departing from Black River or Tamarin, with a single objective: to offer...