Madagascar : An event around the humpback whale

As every year, the island of Sainte Marie, located in the east of Madagascar, has established itself as the host land for the Whale Festival. Being the beautiful world sanctuary of the humpback whale, it is in the heart of an area composed of the Vanilla Islands (Comoros-Maurice-Reunion-Seychelles-Mayotte-Maldives-Madagascar) and the East coast of Africa.

Born on the initiative of the association CETAMADA and the tourist office of Sainte-Marie (OSTM), the event receives the support of local communities and the whole country. It will also be an opportunity for the inhabitants to gather around the whales.

It is a colourful Festival, with animations worthy of the incessant ballet of whales, the heart of the subject and the stars of the event.

The humpback whale is one of the 20 Wonders of the World, and it is also the emblem of Sainte Marie…
The great attraction from late June to mid-October is their arrival in the canal of Sainte-Marie. Each year, these cetaceans, measuring up to 15 meters for 40 tons, travel more than 5000 km to give birth. Observable from the beaches, they are 2000 to 3000 to ensure the spectacle for our greatest pleasure: songs of the males, jumps, confrontations characterize the loving parades, and birth of calves.
For at least one season, the female whale, once it has made its choice, keeps the same partner.
The female will then leave the icy waters to give birth in warmer waters, particularly Sainte-Marie. When the calf emerges, the mother will carry it to the surface for her first breath.
The Cétamada association ensures the conservation of these mammals, disseminates a code of good conduct and trains guides to promote responsible and respectful observation.

Humpback whales mainly pass through Sainte-Marie Island between July and September.