Course curriculum

  • 1

    Course Overview

    • Introduction

    • Course overview and learning objectives
  • 2

    Best vessel management at sea

    • Thinking ahead. Where will the whales be?

    • On-watch: Identifying and managing collision risk

    • Operational measures

    • Reporting incidents

    • Quiz: Best vessel management at sea
  • 3

    Understanding species and behaviours

    • Why cetaceans?

    • Slow moving cetaceans

    • How behaviours affect vessel awareness?

    • What to avoid? Signs that vessels are stressing cetaceans

    • Quiz: Understanding species and behaviours
  • 4

    Best Practices for Responsible Whale Watching

    • Best practices

    • Best way to approach and how close

    • How many boats and how long?

    • Unacceptable practices

    • Quiz: Best practices for responsible whale watching
  • 5

    Resources

    • Relevant literature

    • Whale distribution, abundance and migration maps

    • IWC High Risk Areas

    • Relevant links

    • WCA global best practice guidance for responsible whale and dolphin watching

    • Antarctic Peninsula