Whales in hiding due to weather

Changes in weather patterns bringing on excessive rain has resulted in a lesser number of whale sightings this year, stated Keells Hotel Management Services Head of Eco Tourism and Special Projects Chitral Jayatilake, adding that in previous years, guests have even been able to spot whales from the deck of the hotel.

“Last year, Dr. Charles Anderson came to work with us on 27 February. By 1 March we saw whales and after that for the next 30 days, it was like a prayer. After just 20 minutes at sea, we saw blue whales and there were two days when we saw whales from the beach – they come so close. It was like a supermarket for them to feed on. This year it’s completely different. Last year we saw the super pods of sperm whales here; we counted more than 100 and then lost count.”
Jayatilake, who heads Nature Trails, revealed that when naturalist Nilantha first reported the super pods, some experts said he was wrong and that there couldn’t be 100 sperm whales in Sri Lanka. “They said Nilantha had made a mistake, but this year all the experts were in the water in Mirissa when the whales were there and they were able to photograph them. In one frame, you can count over 20 sperm whales. There are whales, but this year you cannot predict where they are.”
While Jayatilake had spotted 23 sperm whales last week just 20 miles off the coast, he said they are moving around a lot this year unlike in other years.
Commenting on Trincomalee as a base for whale watching, he affirmed that Mirissa is where Sri Lanka’s blue whale industry took off the ground and it’s still a great place, with around 40 blue whales on any given day this January. However, Jayatilake says he would compare Mirissa to Trinco for whale watching just as one would compare Yala to Wilpattu for leopard watching.
“It’s crowded, there are about 25 boats clamouring to get near and some even chase the whales in Mirissa, whereas this is like a private whale watching garden. You have about 20 to 30 whales in the right season and only three to four boats at sea. You are completely at peace with them. Nature Trails operates only four boats for dedicated whale watching, while the others are deployed for snorkelling and dolphin watching. With only four boats in the ocean of Trinco, it’s a luxury.”