Whale Watching Worldwide

References:
Hoyt, E & Iñíguez, M 2008, ‘The State of Whale Watching in Latin America’, WDCS, Chippenham, UK; IFAW, Yarmouth
Port, USA; and Global Ocean, London, 60 pp..
Bolivia
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
2006 400 N/A 3 $76,000 $90,000 $166,000
Capital City: La Paz
Whale Watch Locations:
01: Mamoré River
Land‐locked Bolivia has river‐based dolphin watching opportunities
in its central Amazon region.
Formerly considered a subspecies of the Amazon River dolphin, the
recently designated river dolphin of Bolivia has the highest
encounter rates recorded in the Amazon. At the moment, the only
dolphin watching trips are opportunistic with small boat trips in the
Mamoré River and its tributaries. Prices vary but $190 per
passenger is reportedly a minimum price for a tour that can last from one to several days. Figures from the
previous Latin America report have counted only 10% of the estimated tour participant numbers as
opportunistic river dolphin watchers.
Main species: Small cetaceans:
Amazon (Bolivian) river dolphin
Tourists:
International Mainly international
Domestic
Types of tours: Boat‐based, river cruises
Average adult ticket price: $190
Estimated employment
4
numbers:
Main whale watch season: N/A
References:
Hoyt, E & Iñíguez, M 2008, ‘The State of Whale Watching in Latin America’, WDCS, Chippenham, UK; IFAW, Yarmouth
Port, USA; and Global Ocean, London, 60 pp..
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