The protection of dolphins and whales in Costa Rican waters is becoming a profitable business for the country. On the one hand, it confirms the commitment of the nation with the environment and, on the other, it means bread on the table for many people particularly fishermen turned tour guides who make a living from whale watching. According to the environmentalist organization PROMAR, that particular type of tourism generated $5.32 million, 42 times the amount recorded in 1990, when the activity began in Costa Rica. Scientists say that this should not come as a surprise, since Costa Rican waters are home to 29 –or 34 percent– of the 85 species of cetaceans known around the world.
