CHAPTER 3: WHY WE SHOULD CARE
The islanders of Donsol in the Philippines hold an annual
festival to celebrate their “patron animal”, the whale shark.
For the people of Donsol, the importance of endangered
whale sharks is obvious. The world’s largest fish attracts
tourists to the island, bringing hundreds of thousands of
dollars into the local economy. Communities benefit – and
so do the whale sharks and other marine species, as local
people recognize the need to conserve their biggest asset.
Just as whale sharks are vital to Donsol, the natural assets
and services the ocean provides are massively important to
economies and communities on a global scale. By failing to
appreciate the value of ocean ecosystems, we are putting our
long-term prosperity and well-being at risk.
© Jürgen Freund / WWF