Tucked along the African coast, Zanzibar is home to one of the least known  populations of humpback whales in the world. IFAW, in collaboration with Stockholm University and the University of Dar es Salaam, is working to change that.

Gathering information to drive conservation decisions

Humpback whales live around the world. Some populations are doing well, and have recovered a great deal since commercial whaling of humpbacks was banned in 1966. Other populations are lagging behind. And no one knows how well some populations are doing, simply because they have not been studied enough.

Researchers from Stockholm University and the University of Dar es Salaam — with support from IFAW — are studying the humpback whales found near Zanzibar, Tanzania, to learn more about their population and conservation status. Our study has two goals: to determine the status of humpback whales off Tanzania, and to find out whether this population is distinct from other humpback whale populations in the Indian Ocean.

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Whale-friendly whale watching

As Tanzania and Zanzibar become more popular tourism destinations, demand for whale watching expeditions is increasing. In addition to gathering population data, our researchers are collecting information about the local ecology of Zanzibar’s marine habitats. This information, combined with data about whale populations and behaviors, will help local whale watch operators develop a sustainable and whale-friendly local whale watching industry.