A month ago there was a new collision between a ferry and a sperm whale in the route Gran Canaria-Tenerife. This event once again put on the table the need for real protection in the oceans to protect marine fauna in the Canary Islands.
The impact was felt on the ship when it was sailing in waters near Tenerifeand the passengers were able to observe the trail of blood and feel the blow, according to the biologist Amanhuy Duque Hernandez who was on board the ship.
A few days later the animal was found dead on the coast of Adeje and the veterinary team of the University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA) of the University of The Gran Canarian palms (ULPGC) certified that the death of the animal was caused by a collision with a fast ferry.
The documentalist and marine biologist Felipe Ravina Olivares told the inside story of this event through his social networks. “The difference with other times is that this time, the sperm whale arrived in a tourist area. Throughout the day, hundreds of tourists were able to see this dead sperm whale. The faces of most of the tourists were in disbelief or sorrow, no one wants to see that scene.”, he stated.
“The image that is sold to them so that they come to Tenerife is very different from reality. They come thinking that they are going to arrive at a natural paradise, where everything is nature and tranquility, and when they arrive they find the opposite. A fully built coast, a crowded island, beaches closed due to spills, kilometric traffic jams, a dead whale… and a long etcetera.“, he continued.
“This unsustainable situation, sooner or later, is going to end up affecting tourism, because an image that is not real is being sold, and many tourists are going to start feeling cheated.“, he added.
He criticizes that in Tenerife there is no room for one more hotel, urbanization or port.”We must stop now to guarantee the future of our biodiversity and, of course, of tourism as well, but quality tourism, not what we have now.”, he pointed out.
“And with respect to the serious problem of collisions, it is urgent that the shipping companies sit down to talk with the experts and with the government to find an urgent solution, because at this rate, the population of sperm whales in the Canary Islands runs the risk of disappearinghe demanded.
