Puerto Lopez is as small fishing village nestled in a small bay off the Pacific coast of the Ecuadorian Province of Manabí. Each year from June through October, humpback whales make their 7,500-mile migration along the coastline to mate and give birth in the warmer waters of the north from their feeding grounds in the Antarctic. Tourism has become a main source of income for most residents as the popularity of whale watching activities has heavily developed throughout the years. In 1998, the community gathered to celebrate these mystical creatures and ever since, has held an annual celebrationn for the whales.
From Dr. Cristina Castro, Pacific Whale Foundation’s Ecuador Programs Director: “I remember when whale tourism started, nobody really knew what to do. In 1997, when I arrived at Machalilla National Park, fishermen’s boats were used for tourism only in July and August. In 1998, the first Whale Festival was held after the El Niño phenomenon closed Machalilla National Park for almost three months and mercilessly flooded the town of Puerto Lopez, the only coastal community in Ecuador that discovered whales. This is how the Whale Festival was born, a series of activities including parades, dances, kermesses, and craft fairs to welcome the whales. It is part of our culture and joy as we begin the peak tourist season. We celebrate and dance all night, rejoicing in the opportunity to work and see the whales again when we say: Welcome whales and welcome tourists!”
Pacific Whale Foundation has been present from the beginning. In 2001, Gregory Kaufman and Paul Forestell personally reviewed tourism regulations and helped turn them into responsible guidelines, in addition to giving the first training sessions. We are part of their history in Ecuador and Puerto Lopez. In 2022, I had the chance with other colleagues from PWF to write the first scientific paper about whale tourism in Ecuador, where we discovered that in 2019, in Puerto Lopez alone, 4 billion dollars in revenue were generated for the community. Please take a look at our publications HERE. We are proud of the festival, its roots, and all its organizers. This June 22, 2024 we welcomed the whales to Ecuador, celebrating the 26th anniversary of the festival and the christening of whales born in Ecuador. Welcome everyone! Long live the whales! Long live Puerto Lopez and Machalilla National Park! Long live Ecuador and its marine wealth!
This is a Spanish language video that features the whales of Puerto Lopez in Ecuador, one of Pacific Whale Foundations research and conservation areas. Learn more at pacificwhale.org
To translate closed captions into English, click the cc button. Then, click the ‘gear icon’ on the toolbar at the bottom of the vide and select ‘Subtitles/CC’. Next, select auto-translate – English.
Watch the video below for a taste of the festival!
Watch the video below to discover the journey of Puerto Lopez and Cristina Castro in developing a thriving whale-watching industry.
