Panama

Extent of whale and dolphin watching 

Panama’s is one of the few countries in the world that hosts humpback whales from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.  In July-October several hundred whales visit Panama’s Pacific coast after feeding in Antarctica and Chile during the Southern Hemisphere summer months. And between December and April, Northern Hemisphere whales descend to Panama to breed after feeding in California, Oregon and Washington.   Over 30 species of whales and dolphins have been documented in Panama's waters, offering whale watchers the opportunity to observe many different  species.

Target species, peak times of year and locations:

While humpback whales are the focus of most whale watching tours, it is also possible to see bottlenose dolphins and pantropical spotted dolphins in a number of sites (see map below). Humpback whale watching takes place at a number of locations on the Pacific coast, and has two seasons, focusing on Northern Hemisphere populations (December-April) and Southern Hemisphere populations (July-October).  A few sites on the Caribbean coast focus specifically on dolphin watching, with a focus on bottlenose dolphins.

Additional information about whale watching opportunities in Panama can be found on the following websites:

• Panacetacea – a Panamanian NGO focused on whale and dolphin research and conservation;  
• Visit Panama website;
• Pearl Islands website;
• The Visitor/El Vistante website

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Regulations and guidelines

The Panamanian Government has enacted official regulations to manage whale watching activities (Resolución No. DM-0530-2017, Ministerio de Ambiente, República de Panamá, 2017).  These regulations stipulate that boats should not approach dolphins closer than 100 m and whales closer than 250m, and that no more than two vessels should be with one group of whales or dolphins at any one time.  

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Research on whale and dolphin watching in Panama

Research on whale watching in Panama has concentrated on the potential negative effects of a fast-growing dolphin watching industry on bottlenose dolphin in the Bocas del Toro archipelago on the Caribbean coast of Panama.  Researchers have generally concluded that current levels of pressure from vessels and sometimes swimmers is unsustainable for the small and isolated resident population of dolphins, and strongly recommend that more effective management measures are put in place^1-7.

A study published in 2012 examined the overlap between commercial vessel traffic (using AIS data) and humpback whale movements (using satellite tracking data). The study found high degrees of overlap and thus a high risk of ship strikes⁸.  It recommended a traffic separation scheme during humpback breeding seasons that would reduce the risk of collision by 93%⁸.  This risk should also be taken into account as whale watching traffic increases on the humpback whale breeding grounds.

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