In the remote birthing lagoons of Baja Sur, Mexico, Gray Whales and humans have been sharing friendly encounters since the early 1970s. These same lagoons once ran red with whales’ blood, slaughtered by Yankee whale hunters who called the Gray Whales “the hard-headed devil fish.” Today, enthusiastic whale watchers and Gray Whales meet in these pristine birthing waters, now seeking one another’s touch and friendship. This unexplainable interspecies communication is what Thompson calls “touching the mystery.”

Why do whales living wild and free in the ocean, once hunted to near extinction, now seek encounters with humans? This is a question marine naturalist Doug Thompson has asked for more than thirty years, traveling to San Ignacio Lagoon almost annually, to observe this unique and unprecedented interspecies connection.

With his new book and companion DVD, Whales: Touching the Mystery, Thompson shares his observations and findings about Gray Whale friendly behavior. In 1977, Thompson began leading expeditions to San Ignacio Lagoon, exploring this mysterious, friendly behavior and filming human/whale interactions. “We have assailed the whales with different threats for hundreds of years,” explains Thompson. “Yet despite it all, in the last couple of decades the whales have been trying to make friendly contact with humans.”

Jane Goodall, Ph.D., describes film footage from the DVD as “glorious,” and Thompson’s book as “enchanted.” Goodall writes, “It is an inspiring story, and illustrates how conservation of wild life, the economic well-being of the local people, and the often life-changing experience of those who become involved are, together, weaving a message of hope for the future of the whales—and for us all.” The people of San Ignacio Lagoon have developed a successful eco-tourism business that offers them a viable livelihood, and at the same time protects the whales and the environment.

Thompson weaves a fascinating story of personal accounts, his own and others, along with factual information on the world of whales. Thompson also writes about the future of the whales, now hanging in the balance as international debate heats up over whether or not to return to whale hunting. He offers a plan for what he calls “whale eco-nomics,” showing the bottom-line advantages to promote whale watching, now a multi-billion-dollar industry worldwide. “From a business perspective, I am baffled as to why countries want to continue whale hunting,” explains Thompson. “Whale hunting is not profitable. Like the fishing industries in most countries, governments also subsidize whale hunting.”

In addition, Thompson describes modern threats to whales, including military sonar testing, polluted waters, fishing techniques, and cruise ship pollution. “With more than six billion people on the planet, the global community must work together to protect our land, oceans, and atmosphere,” states Thompson. “Each of us has a role to play, and those of us from wealthy countries have power to influence markets simply by what we choose to buy and eat.”

The DVD of whales and humans sharing friendship will shift your perceptions forever about what we might learn from other animals. The book will inform and inspire you to speak out on behalf of whales.