“In a competition to see who makes the most trips between islands and who has the fastest fast ferries, during the last 10 years, the number of trips has multiplied and they have changed their entire fleet of ferries to fast ferries, much more dangerous for the large cetaceans“he adds in a post on his social media.
More dead sperm whales than births in the Canary Islands
“The consequence of this competition between the two companies, added to a Government of the Canary Islands that gives free rein to everything without any type of regulation, as if the sea were a highway, has led us to the current situation: In the Canaries there are more sperm whales that die run over by fast ferries than are born“, he continues.
“The sperm whale population is at serious risk. And all this for what? To save us 45 minutes of travel time. Is it really worth it?” he wonders.
“As a personal experience, for many years I was going to Gran Canaria several times a month on the “slow” ferries, to spend weekends there or to return home when I was doing my degree, and since they changed all the boats to fast ferries I have practically stopped going, except on a specific occasion for work. I don’t think it’s worth putting the lives of these animals in danger to save you 40 minutes of travel, as long as you can avoid it,” he says.
“Urgent regulation of the speed at which fast ferries sail and the number of journeys they make between islands is necessary“, he concludes.
Sperm whale stranded this Sunday in Tenerife
On the morning of this Sunday another sperm whale has washed up on the coast of the Canary Islands. This time in the area of Playa Paraíso, in Costa Adeje.
According to data from Government of the Canary Islands, sperm whales represent 54% of cetacean species that are stranded on the Islands after a collision. A study conducted by the Institute of Animal Health of the University of Las Palmas revealed that in 80% of the cases, the cetaceans involved in the collisions were still alive.
