© @jdvos_com Photo @jdvos_com 📸 As a visitor to any #cetacean #expedition both dry & in-water (regardless of who you join!) remember that you have the power to say NO to unethical practices. Apart from making sure that the operator you are joining has good standing & the relevant permission to run trips or expeditions with cetaceans, these are just some basic questions to always ask yourself: • Have we been properly briefed? • Does this feel right? • Is the operator following proper guidelines or standards with regards to the animals you encounter? • Are we chasing / harassing the animals? • Do the animals appear to be stressed or alternatively resting? If so - leave them alone! • Are we disrupting any natural behavior / putting the animals or ourselves at risk? For example: dropping right into a baitball of herring or not moving away from one when it moves towards / underneath you! • Is someone with the relevant experience, training & qualifications always keeping an eye on us & the animals / the overall situation? • Are we too many people / boats? • Have we been here too long? • Do I feel safe? These are just some of the most basic questions anyone can ask themselves & should the answer result in any unethical, unsafe or irresponsible answer, voice your concern & insist on immediately moving away or getting off. It is important to remember that it is a HUGE privilege (not a right) to see these magnificent animals in their natural environment & that we are merely guests. By working together we can continue to share these experiences in a safe and #ethical way, for both cetaceans & guests with generations to come. Shot with @ikelite 🐙 #orca #freediving #followmeunderwater #killerwhale #arcticfreediving #jacquesdevos #underwaterphotography #orcas #orcaunderwater #nationalgeographic @canon_photos https://www.instagram.com/p/BobfdQwBIem/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=158xu8ff4tcgn
