Whale Watching Worldwide

Pakistan
Year Number of
whale
watchers
AAGR Number of
operators
Direct
expenditure
Indirect
expenditure
Total
expenditure
1991 None N/A None None None None
1994 None N/A None None None None
1998 None N/A None None None None
2008 250 0% 1 $2,500 $5,750 $8,250
Capital City: Islamabad
Whale Watch Locations:
01: Sukkur
Dolphin watching takes place in a dolphin reserve area of the Indus
River. The target species of the tours is the Indus River dolphin, an
endangered endemic subspecies of the South Asian river dolphin.
Since 2000, WWF Pakistan has been working with its provincial
partner organisations for the conservation of Indus River dolphins.
Most trips leave from Sukkur in Sindh Province, southeast Pakistan.
The boat trips are not yet running regularly, but are offered on a
casual basis by WWF Pakistan and the Sindh Wildlife Department, in
cooperation with local fishing boat owners.
According to WWF, about 200 to 300 tourists visit Sukkur each season (October to March) and go on dolphin
boat safaris. The dolphins are important in attracting visitors to the region as it is an endemic, unique and
threatened subspecies of freshwater dolphin only found in the Indus River and is a flagship species of
Pakistan. WWF has also been working on establishing marine‐based dolphin and whale watching off
Pakistan’s coast.
Main species: Small cetaceans:
Indus River dolphin (fellow subspecies of the
Ganges River dolphin, both of which are
sometimes called South Asian river dolphins)
Tourists:
International 5%
Domestic 95%
Types of tours: Informal, casual tours offered by WWF and
Sindh Wildlife department in conjunction with
local fishermen
Average adult ticket price: $10
Estimated employment
1
numbers:
Main whale watch season: October to March
Acknowledgements:
Thanks to Ahmad and Uzma Khan at WWF Pakistan.
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