In Donsol, whale shark conservation bears fruit

LEGAZPI CITY, ALBAY, Philippines — The coastal town of Donsol in Sorsogon is seeing signs of success in both conservation and ecotourism, with the group World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines recording a total of 771 whale shark sightings since 2007.

Manuel Narvadez Jr., WWF Philippines-Donsol Integrated Conservation Program manager, said the 2025 interaction season alone had already logged 55 whale shark sightings, including 24 new individuals and 31 resighted or returning whale sharks, locally known as “balik Donsol.”

“From 2007 until today (May 27), we have a total of 771 unique individuals, and all of them are recorded in our Sharkbook,” Narvadez said in a telephone interview on Monday.

When asked how they determine whether a whale shark is newly spotted, he said, “Through photo ID. We take pictures of both sides of the whale shark near the gills, as each has a unique spot pattern—like human fingerprints.”

READ: Whale shark sightings in Donsol up after 4 years

Ethical interaction

According to Narvadez, a key factor behind Donsol’s success is its strict enforcement of ethical interaction guidelines, including the prohibition of whale shark feeding.

“Donsol is a model site for ethical wildlife tourism, and we really value it,” he said, adding that the town’s approach promotes long-term conservation while ensuring a meaningful experience for tourists.

The conservation program is a collaboration involving the local government of Donsol, the provincial government of Sorsogon, the Department of Tourism in the Bicol region, and WWF Philippines.

“With the collaboration and support of this quadripartite alliance, Donsol has proven that you can protect marine life while offering a meaningful visitor experience,” Narvadez said.

With tourist arrivals rising, the local tourism office is reminding guests to strictly follow interaction rules to avoid harming the whale sharks seen in Donsol’s waters from November to May.

“Tourists are required to keep a distance of at least 3 meters from the whale shark’s head and 4 meters from its tail. Touching, riding, or feeding the animals is strictly prohibited. It’s our way of minimizing, or avoiding, stress on the animals,” Navadez added.

Herbie Aguas, DOT regional director, cited Donsol’s collective effort in pushing for conservation.

“All stakeholders were trained by DOT—from boatmen and tricycle drivers to accommodation and restaurant owners,” he said.

Every visitor is required to attend an orientation before going on a whale shark interaction tour. “We tell our guests: these animals are not here for our entertainment. We’re lucky to share their space,” Aguas said.

Don Llagas, Donsol tourism officer, said the growing number of tourists had boosted the local economy.

“From a third-class municipality, we are now a first-class municipality. That’s the positive result of tourism,” he said. /cb/abc

(2025/05/28-04:30)