Whales ‘relentlessly pestered’: tourism boom sparks new rules in French Polynesia

In French Polynesia, whale-based tourism has grown over the past year, raising concerns over the risks to the marine mammals. Photograph: Douglas Klug/Getty Images

Lisette Muratore swam with humpback whales for the first time off the coast of Mo’orea, an island in French Polynesia, as part of a guided tour. She describes the experience as “overwhelming.”

“You have a sudden realisation of the immensity of these creatures … seeing their wild beauty, it’s almost like there’s something sacred about them. When the baby [humpback whale] looked straight into my eyes it felt almost like I was looking at a god.”