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JULY
01
At THB hotels, we are committed to sustainability and environmental protection. For some years now, we have been collaborating with Tursiops, an association dedicated to marine research and whose main objective is the study of cetaceans and the threats they face in the Balearic Sea.
Each December, we run a special Boxing Day campaign and donate 5% of our income to this cause. As a gesture of appreciation, Tursiops offers THB hotels a unique experience: a sailing expedition to obtain a first-hand insight into the work carried out by biologists as part of the "Balearic Sperm Whale Project". We hold a prize draw among our employees, and the winner has the opportunity to experience an unforgettable adventure and obtain a greater understanding of just how important marine conservation work is.This year, the lucky winner of the prize draw was Ayelén, a technical architect at Urbiform, THB hotels’ construction company. From 27th May to 2nd June, she sailed with the Tursiops team to enjoy a fascinating experience and the chance to observe at first-hand how the biologists work on the project to study sperm whales in the Balearic Islands. The week-long trip gave Ayelén the chance not only to enjoy the beauty of the sea and marine life, but also to understand the threats facing these animals and the essential work Tursiops does in order to protect them.In the following interview, Ayelén tells us all about her experience at sea and gives us her unique vision of the importance of conserving sperm whales in our waters.Expedition itinerary"The trip started in Sa Ràpita, where Tursiops moors its sailing boat. On Monday, we set sail for Cabrera and moored there. We had the chance to explore the island before setting off for Menorca. As the wind was quite high, we decided to spend the night in Porto Colom and continue our route the next day. On reaching Menorca, we spent two nights in the port of Mahon, which allowed us to get to know the island a bit. Finally, we sailed back to Mallorca.”What was your first impression on setting sail?"To tell you the truth, I’d never actually been on a sailing boat, let alone spent time at sea, so everything was new to me. The crossing to Cabrera was pretty choppy, but I also realise that it was my first time, so everything seemed much worse than it actually was. I was nervous because I didn’t know whether we were actually going to see any animals or if we were going to be in rough seas the whole time. Luckily, that wasn’t the case.What exactly is the Tursiops project?"The Tursiops team is made up of a group of professionals that follow and study the sperm whale population in the Mediterranean. They monitor them to collect information about how they live and what they eat. They also take photographs to identify them so they can follow their life cycles.”What tasks did you carry out during the week?“Apart from the domestic tasks involved in spending a week at sea, we identified the animals and recorded the weather conditions. We also carried out acoustic monitoring every 30 minutes and analysed the atmosphere: the percentage of cloud cover, wave height and wind speed, as well as our own speed. There were seven of us on board and we took it in turns to do two-hour watches.”What animals did you spot during the expedition?“I was fortunate enough to see turtles, sperm whales, dolphins and rays in their natural habitat.”Has this experience changed your awareness and perspective of marine conservation?"I don’t know whether it’s changed my vision of conservation, because that’s not something we discussed on board. It was more a question of accompanying them as they go about their work. However, I would like to stress the importance of working for a company that knows the significance of issues like this and is willing to collaborate, because in one way or another, it does make a difference.”
Ayelén’s experience on board the Tursiops sailing boat is not just proof of THB hotels’ commitment to marine conservation, but it also highlights the importance of collaborating with organisations that protect the environment. Tursiops’ efforts and dedication to the study and conservation of sperm whales in the Mediterranean are vital for the survival of this species. At THB hotels, we are proud to support initiatives that not only benefit the marine ecosystem, but also enrich the lives of our employees by offering them the chance to take part in major projects.
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