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The waters surrounding Cu Lao Mai Nha Island in O Loan commune recently witnessed a fascinating natural phenomenon: a mother whale and her calf have been repeatedly appearing to hunt since mid-May 2026. This event immediately became a focal point of attention, attracting a large number of tourists and locals to the coastal area to witness firsthand and capture unique footage of these giant ocean creatures.
The whale sightings in the central coastal region actually follow a natural migration pattern as they move in pursuit of abundant schools of prey fish during this season. The presence of the Bryde's whale subspecies, a rare marine animal, not only creates a spectacular sight but also clearly demonstrates the recovery of local fisheries resources. However, the wave of public curiosity is posing significant challenges to biodiversity conservation and the safe management of marine tourism.
The alarming reality of the trend of unregulated whale-watching tours.
The immense allure of this natural phenomenon has quickly led to the development of spontaneous tourism activities, posing numerous safety risks. To satisfy tourists' desire to film and photograph close-ups, some local boat and canoe owners have engaged in dangerously aggressive behavior, speeding, driving directly towards, or approaching mother and calf whales at extremely close distances, sometimes just a few meters away. On-site observations show scenes of numerous boats surrounding the area where the whales are surfacing to feed. The high speed and constant changes in direction of these vessels, cutting across the whales' swimming paths, not only disrupt their natural hunting behavior but also raise serious concerns about the possibility of boat propellers colliding with them, causing permanent injuries or even death to this rare marine animal.
A mother and calf Bryde's whale have been repeatedly spotted hunting in the waters around Cu Lao Mai Nha.
According to biodiversity conservation experts, the Bryde's whales that appear at Mai Nha Island are in a highly sensitive stage as the mother whales are raising their young. Approaching too closely by humans can cause the animals to become extremely stressed and panicked. In some cases, their self-defense instincts can cause the mother whales to react violently by thrashing their tails or attacking vehicles, directly threatening the lives of tourists and those transporting them on board.
Besides the risk of physical collisions, the noise from the engines of high-speed boats also has an invisible but extremely serious negative impact on the navigation system of these creatures. Bryde's whales use infrasonic waves with extremely low frequencies, below 20Hz, to communicate between mother and calf and to navigate the ocean. Continuous noise pollution from boats over many days will paralyze their hearing, causing mother whales to become disoriented, increasing the risk of stranding, or forcing them to leave safe feeding grounds and migrate to more unfavorable areas to avoid humans.
Guide to safe whale watching and marine conservation rules.
To ensure that the whale hunting phenomenon at Cu Lao Mai Nha becomes a sustainable natural and cultural highlight rather than an ecological disaster, the relevant authorities in charge of fisheries and marine affairs have quickly issued guidelines and requested coastal localities to tighten regulations on tourism control. According to international standards on wildlife conservation, inland waterway vessels and tourists are required to maintain a minimum safe distance of 100 meters from whales. When entering areas where whales are sighted, all vessels must proactively turn off their engines and minimize noise or disruptive behavior to maintain the necessary tranquility for the creatures.
For photography and videography enthusiasts, experts recommend using specialized equipment such as short- and long-range zoom lenses or binoculars for observation from a safe distance. The use of drones for aerial photography also needs to be strictly regulated through three core safeguards.
Wildlife conservation regulations require visitors to maintain a minimum safe distance of 100 meters.
First, all drone flight operations in coastal areas must be licensed in accordance with current laws and regulations. Next, operators must ensure that drones do not fly too low, directly above or too close to the water's surface where whales are active, as the whistling sound from the drone's propellers can easily frighten the whales. Finally, operating drones requires extreme caution to avoid the risk of accidents such as the drone hitting a whale or falling into the sea, causing environmental pollution from technological waste and chemicals from batteries. Enjoying a magnificent moment of nature is only truly complete and civilized when it is done on a foundation of respect, kind treatment, and the preservation of the natural habitat for rare marine creatures.
