Third Annual Whale Shark Festival ~ Isla Mujeres, MX ~ July 16-18

Isla Mujeres is one of my favorite places on earth. Dusty and I found this island paradise together on our very first vacation together. And WOO HOO! We are going there again soon on vacation. Can't wait. I wrote about the Second Annual Whale Shark Festival last year, and it's that time again. The Whale Shark Festival is next weekend in Isla Mujeres, MX. I can't make it, wish that I could. Maybe next year.

From a press release posted on Ceviche Tour's website:

Celebrating the beauty and culture of Isla Mujeres, Mexico, and championing the need to preserve a fragile marine ecosystem, ecotourism travel agency Ceviche Tours and the Isla Mujeres Department of Tourism have partnered to announce the Third Annual Whale Shark Festival, a community extravaganza that showcases the achievements, the traditions and the environmental splendor of Isla Mujeres.


The Festival will be held July 16-18, 2010 in Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Last year thousands flocked to the family-friendly Whale Shark Festival, which offers guests an opportunity to participate in ecotourism adventures such as swimming with whale sharks, the largest fish in the ocean and an endangered species; traditional dancing performed by local troupes; exploring ancient Mayan ruins and much more.

A portion of the Festival proceeds will be donated to several environmental not-for-profit organizations.

Sustainable Eco-Tourism

The Whale Shark Festival is an effort to raise awareness of the need to preserve the area’s marine ecosystem. Isla Mujeres is part of the second largest barrier reef on the planet, and serves as the nursery of the Caribbean and the migratory path of whale sharks as well as sea turtles, water foul and game fishes.

“Sustainable eco-tourism engages guests in the effort to preserve the indigenous culture of Isla Mujeres, their way of life and the marine environment,” said John Vater, who co-founded Ceviche Tours with his wife, Adriana, and longtime friend and Isla Mujeres native Luis “Cuco” Refugio and his family. “Environmental preservation and sustainable eco-tourism will help sustain Isla Mujeres for generations to come.”

Exciting Activities for All

Guests of the Festival can participate in a wide array of activities: Bloom of 200+ Whale Sharks -- Kicking off the Festival will be the much anticipated whale shark bloom, where hundreds of these gentle giants will come together to swim in a group near the coast of Isla Mujeres. Last year was the largest aggregation ever witnessed.

Approximately 1,400 whale sharks make their way through the waters of Isla Mujeres every summer, according to Dr. Robert Hueter, Director of the Center for Shark Research, Mote Marine Laboratory and speaker at the 2009 Whale Shark Festival.

Swimming with Whale Sharks -- Guests can swim with whale sharks and join an effort by Project Domino, a conservation program implemented by the Mexican government, to protect and preserve these graceful creatures. Guests can add their underwater photos of the whale sharks to Project Domino’s visual database of the unique markings, or spots, that can identify individual whale sharks and track them. Images from the Project Domino regional database are shared with a global database from nonprofit ECOCEAN.

“International events, and especially those such as the Whale Shark Festival which have a strong local element as well, are absolutely essential to increase the conservation culture through environmental education,” noted Rafael de la Parra, Lead Marine Biologist for Project Domino, a sponsor of the 2010 Festival.

A Family-Friendly Event -- The Festival will feature activities for kids to learn about helping the environment. “Educating children about the importance of recycling, showing them how they can get involved to protect the marine environment and its biodiversity -- with beach cleanups, and just the choices they make every day – is vital to our future,” said Catalina Galindo de Prince, executive director of the nonprofit Amigos de Isla Contoy, A.C., a sponsor of the 2010 Festival.

Academic Seminars and Film Showcase -- Scientists from around the world will attend to present a series of Academic Seminars on marine biology, sustainable ecotourism and Mayan architecture.

Booking Travel Travel arrangements and bookings for whale shark tours can be made through the Ceviche Tours Website (www.cevichetours.com).

For More Information For a complete listing of 2010 Whale Shark Festival activities and for more information, visit http://www.whalesharkfest.com/ or http://www.cevichetours.com/. Ceviche Tours provides sustainable ecotourism and travel services to the Yucatan and Isla Mujeres, Mexico. Founded by John and Adriana Vater of Spa Adriana in Huntington Village, NY, with longtime friend and Isla Mujeres native Luis “Cuco” Refugio and his family, Ceviche Tours works with the indigenous islanders of Isla Mujeres to help preserve their culture and maintain the integrity and beauty of the surrounding marine environment. Through education and photo identification efforts, Ceviche Tours joins the worldwide effort to protect and preserve whale sharks. As participants on our whale shark tours, guests are invited to be part of those identification and tracking efforts.

For more information, please contact http://www.cevichetours.com/.

Photo by John Vater

More About Whale Sharks

The biggest fish on the planet is the Rhincodon typus, the whale shark, growing up to sixty feet long; primarily roaming the depths of the seas. These behemoths prefer deepest waters, only spending time in the shallows to mate or spawn. Whale sharks have been sighted as far apart as the Great Barrier Reef, the Maldives, and the Caribbean. Because of their persistent shyness, little is known about these great creatures. Scientists are not completely certain whether whale sharks should be classified as an endangered species; so worldwide efforts are taking place to count and track whale sharks. I find it fascinating to consider that an animal larger than a school bus can be so difficult to track.

Because of the ongoing oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico scientists are especially interested to know the effect on all marine life. Non-profit organizations, researchers, and promoters of eco-tourism have drawn together to sponsor this event to raise awareness about whale sharks and the environment it calls home.

The purpose of the festival is to draw attention to the whale shark and the fragile ecosystem of the Caribbean waters surrounding Isla Mujeres. During the event, festival guests will be invited to take part in tracking the whale sharks, by being “citizen scientists” and contributing their original whale shark photos to the regional and international databases. Festival goers can swim with the whale sharks; according to John Vater co-founder of Ceviche Tours, “Swimming with whale sharks is an unforgettable experience. The Whale Shark Festival will be a tremendous opportunity for travelers to participate in ecotourism adventures and to immerse themselves in the culture of Isla Mujeres”,

Whale sharks earned their common name because of their size, not because they are whales. Whale sharks are sharks, distinguished from whales by many structural and biological differences. Like all sharks, whale sharks have a cartilaginous frame, rather than bone; and a leathery skin without scales. They also “breathe” through gills, as do fish; and lay eggs instead of giving live birth. Although whale sharks are enormous they are no threat to humans since they feed only on microscopic plankton or krill. As these ocean going giants swim along, they open their mouths wide to capture their food. Once inside their mouths, the tiny marine organisms are encased in a net-like membrane that prevents their escape. Whale sharks swim with their mouths open so wide that their mouths block their view, and they cannot see where they are going. Over time and through evolution they have adapted. They have sensors all along their bodies that allow them to locate objects in the water. This way they navigate without seeing.