Sightings of humpback whales surge in Rio de Janeiro, fueling demand for whale-watching trips
Operators are adding small sailboat tours with biologists onboard as humpback populations rebound to about 35,000, scientists said.
- On Tuesday, June 30, 2026, humpback whale sightings surged off Rio de Janeiro, driving demand for whale-watching excursions as tourists increasingly observe marine giants in Guanabara Bay.
- The species' population jumped from around 2,000 to around 35,000 over approximately 40 years, following the International Whaling Commission's landmark 1985/1986 global pause in commercial whaling.
- Biologist Pedro Fres said the whales are exploring the area to determine if it could become "a place for them to rest, to mate, or to give birth to a calf."
- Louise Raulais and Theo Andrade co-manage the Rio Ocean Club, which began offering sailboat trips this year for groups of five to 10 people to observe the migrating whales.
- Whales migrate roughly 2,500 miles from the Southern Ocean to gather around the Abrolhos Bank; Raulais said these animals "have the power to transform people, to change the way they see the world.
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26 Articles
Associated Press News
Sightings of humpback whales surge in Rio de Janeiro, fueling demand for whale-watching trips
Humpback whales are increasingly spotted off Rio de Janeiro as their population recovers from past commercial whaling.
The whales-jubarte were again seen in Ba a de Guanabara, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during the annual migration of the species. The return, after years of absence, attributes the recovery of the population the ap s d each of protection and at the end of the commercial ca a s whales.
During its coldest months Rio de Janeiro offers one of the most striking natural shows in South America. The migration of humpback whales makes the Caribbean coast an ideal destination for those looking to combine nature, biodiversity and responsible tourism. Each southern winter, the Marvelous City reveals a very different facet to that of its beaches, carnival and urban life. Between June and August, hundreds of humpback whales arrive to the w…
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