The swing in public sentiment towards viewing orcas in the wild rather than in the sterile and artificial theme park environment has unfortunately negatively affected the health of some populations. Orcas are easily disturbed by boats that encroach on their territory. The impact of whale watching vessels is most apparent in the southern community where more than fifty vessels may follow a mother and calf for an entire day. In fact, this area boasts more whale watching traffic than any other location in the world, and also has to contend with substantial tanker and ferry traffic. Increased boat traffic also increases the likelihood of collisions, which can cause serious injury and death.
Every whale watching operation contributes to boat traffic and has the potential to stress animals. Therefore many experts recommend watching from shore. Orcas in particular are known for their aerial displays and will be rewarding to watch in this way.
