• Overview
• Conservation Programs
• Marine Priority Conservation Areas
• Sustainable Fisheries
• Watershed Conservation
• Climate Change Adaptation
• Ring of Fire Program
• Whale Shark Ecotourism
• New Conservation Areas
• Coral Triangle Support
• Environmental Life Skills
• Heroes of the Environment
• Sustainable Seafood Campaign
• Data & Tools
• Reports

Donsol Whale Shark Research and Ecotourism Sustainability Program

For over a decade, WWF has been assisting the local government of Donsol in conserving its whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) through the development of a community-based eco-tourism scheme and practical coastal resource management program. Whale shark tourism is now the Bicol Region's most popular tourist activity and was cited by TIME magazine as the best animal encounter destination in Asia.

The eco-tourism industry has significantly increased local community income and is a prime example of how both economic and conservation goals can be met. Current initiatives centre on implementing a community ecotourism program and fisheries management plan, identifying individual sharks and migration routes through state-of-the-art satellite tagging and photo-identification. The project is supported by USAID through WWF-US. Satellite tagging efforts are supported by WWF-Denmark.