This years whale watching season officially opened on december 8, 2018 and will run through march 23, 2019. Tourists are able to see gray whales, humpbacks, blue whales, and whale sharks, but should expect to take off from different locations in search of each different species. Whale classification breeding patterns of whales whale migration join us whale migration. Trip highlights an indepth immersion witness the spring finale of the gray whales migration of nearly 6,000 miles from alaska to baja, with the expert interpretation of our naturalist expedition leader. Its whalewatching season in mexico as the pacific gray. Whale watch cabo is the only dedicated whale watching company based in cabo san lucas, mexico. In fact, they photograph so well, weve made them the star of our mexico webad dedicated to the nature of mexico, which can be viewed. A gray whale reported in 2015 broke all marine mammal migration records she traveled from russia to mexico and back again.
With gray whale watching season in full swing, mexicos national commission for protected natural areas conanp is reporting nearly 1,400 individuals in its latest survey of two key lagoons off. Whale watching in mexico the whale watching season in mexico is reasonably short. Thanks to its privileged location on popular cetacean migratory routes, it is a perfect place to go whale watching. As these mighty whales reach 14 meters in length, it is possible to see them from the beach while theyre jumping in the sea, but theres nothing compared to getting a. Whale watching with baja discovery we hope to welcome you to the very best camp for watching gray whales in baja california, mexico.
May 12, 2012 thousands of whale sharks migrate to mexico each year, the season starts may 15 and goes through september 15. Though whale watching in baja is a yearround activity, the winter months are the height of whale season. The popular resort town of cabo san lucas is the main hub for tourists, but theres no onesizefitsall location for seeing all types of whales. Between 2010 and 2014 that number has grown to an average of 680 humpback whales sighted in the bay each season. Whale watching mexico mexico ecotourism natural habitat. Starting on may 15, the 2015 whale shark season will officially begin just off the coast of the yucatan peninsula. Climate changes, water temperature, depth, salinity, topography of the sea floor and the biggest, abundance of food, all plays a major roll in these events. Or the big whales, such as finbacks and blue whales. Swimming with whale sharks is an underwater adventure ive wanted to try for years. When you come with us to mexico to see them, youll be forever spoiled for whale watching, because it doesnt get any better than this. Mexico the best tips for whale watching in mexico whaletrips. The best whale watching spots in mexico culture trip.
Humpback whales also migrate far one humpback was sighted off the antarctic peninsula in april 1986 and then resighted off colombia in august 1986, which means it. When the gray whales arrive in baja to have their babies, it is a magical time. Humpback whales humpback whale are a migratory species and are commonly known for making one of the longest migration trips of any animal. Whale species that migrate and the distance traveled. Baja whale watching, san ignacio lagoon baja discovery. In california, good whale watching can be found yearround on the southern california coast.
Ive swam with regular sharks before the kind that occasionally dine on humans. We focus on educational tours led by marine biologists and naturalist. The gray whales that visit these waters each winter are famous for their curiosity about humans, a phenomenon that began in the early 1970s when wild whales. Each year peak migration times coincide with peoples vacation times.
Whale watch cabo offers several types of whale watching tours beginning late november through april each year. The fishing village of puerto adolfo lopez mateos located at the north end of magdalena bay event holds the international festival of the gray whale is celebrated, whalewatching. Gray whale migration seasons slow start could be good thing. The whales of guerrero research project was launched in 20 to generate needed data about humpback whales in the state of guerrero, mexico. Beginning in the bearing and chukchi sea and ending in the warm water lagoons of mexicos baja peninsula, their round trip journey moves them through 12,500 miles of coastline. After grey whales have filled up on massive amounts of krill that come to the surface in the bering sea, they migrate to the sea of cortez which offers an ideal temperature for these whales to give. Every year gray, blue and humpback whales beautify the mexican pacific coast from baja california to oaxaca, attracting thousands of tourists. We offer small group and affordable private tours, all 2. Bajas whale season though whale watching in baja is a yearround activity, the winter months are the height of whale season. Each year the whale shark, which is the largest of the fish species, begin to arrive from their annual migration to the warm waters of the mexicancaribbean sea near cancunriviera maya.
The 5 best places to see the winter humpback whale migration. Apr, 2015 4 responses to 6 things to know this whale shark season. In the weeks in the whales will venture as far south as cabo pulmo and cabo san lucas to winter, before turning around and heading north again to summer in arctic waters. The fishing village of puerto adolfo lopez mateos located at the north end of magdalena bay event holds the. This bay is nestled between the states of jalisco and nayarit, so puerto vallarta is a good point of departure. Here is an example of 4 different species of whale that follow different migration patterns. Every year thousands of california gray whales migrate 6,000 miles from the cold waters of the bering and chukchi seas to the warm waters of baja californias central pacific coast.
Cabo san lucas is a fabulous destination on mexico s pacific coast, famous for its impressive combination of mountains, desert, and ocean. Whales are our passion, and we love to share these moments with you. But swimming with whale sharks is a totally different experience. How to go whale watching in baja california sur, mexico. Humpback whales in puerto vallarta puerto vallarta whale. The most common whale to winter in mexico is the pacific gray whale, which is seen over much of the pacific coast, and the humpback whale. Their migration path takes them on a 5,000plus mile long journey from the bering, chukchi and beaufort seas to the sea of cortez. Those who conceived a calf already follow the migration to give birth in the warm waters. While staying in mexico to mate and give birth, most gray whales are super relaxed sometimes you may even touch them. Gray whales on the move teacher handout 1 answers to gray whale migration questions 1. The migration phenomenon can be contemplated in puerto vallarta, one of the best locations for whale watching. With gray whale watching season in full swing, mexicos national commission for protected natural areas conanp is reporting nearly 1,400 individuals in its.
I finally took the plunge, and swam alongside these gentle giants in mexico. In january 1972, the mexican government created the worlds first marine protected area mpa specifically to protect. You can enjoy whale watching in baja california sur. Mexico new zealand norway south africa accommodation facts about whales whale classification breeding patterns of whales whale migration join us mexico. Its flanked on the west by the mighty pacific ocean and on the east by the nutrientrich waters of the sea of cortez, so its no surprise that the mexican state of baja california sur bcs is one of the best destinations in the world for whale watching.
Puerto penasco is one of the best places you could go for whale watching. Whale watching mexico watching whales gray whales, humpbacks. The whale watching season in mexico is reasonably short. Like many things, there are exceptions to these general migration routes. The migration route of the pacific gray whale is often described as the longest known mammal migration in the animal kingdom. In fact there are over 25 different species of whale and dolphin that can be found swimming, living and traveling through the waters of the gulf of mexico the warm weather, connecting rivers and waterways and abundant food supply makes the gulf of mexico an ideal place for whales and other. This is when the sharks are abundant in waters around cancun, isla mujeres, isla contoy, and isla holbox. Jan 05, 2020 gray whale migration season off to a slow start share this. A stay of a month on either side will likely have you seeing whales too. The sea of cortez was aptly coined the worlds aquarium by jacques cousteau. Will new gray whale migration season prove as deadly as the last one. Their winter stay lasts from december through march.
The migration brings humpback whales back into the cabo san lucas. Where to spot gray whales along along the pacific coast as. Baja offers whales the perfect water conditions for winter breeding and birthing. Their distinctive patterns of paleyellow spots and stripes make them a truly beautiful sight. In fact our head guide elisa has seen whales on over 99% of the tours she has led. Unmated whales migrate here to form courtship groups. In the weeks in the whales will venture as far south as cabo pulmo and cabo san lucas to winter, before turning around and heading north again to summer in arctic waters some of the pacific bays and lagoons of baja. Whale watching cabo best time whale watch cabo tours. Every year of their lives they swim more than 10,000 miles roundtrip, between nursery lagoons in mexico to feeding grounds in the arctic.
Its whalewatching season on mexicos pacific coast, from baja to. Observers are hoping for the best as the first gray whales of the season are spotted off the south bay, long beach and orange county coasts on their migration from alaska to baja, mexico. The gray whale migration covers 10,000 miles from feeding grounds in alaskas bering sea to matingnursing grounds in mexico. These are panga local motorboat tours with a knowledgeable captainguide. To have an excellent chance of seeing whales, visit baja between the. The baja california is one of the most important regions for whale watching in the whole world, as various kinds of whales use the subtropical waters of the. The project also aims to raise awareness about the presence of whales in the region and to support the local economy through the development of responsible whale and wildlife tourism programs. Sergios whale watching season ensenada baja california.
Mexico is a particularly popular destination for whale enthusiasts because of the annual migratory patterns of these majestic creatures. Organized whale watching started in the united states, when the cabrillo national monument in san diego was declared a public venue for observing the migration of gray whales. During the cabo whale watching season, you can see different species of whale up close, in their element. The sea of cortez seems to have something to offer most of the animals, or mammals that live in the ocean. Whale watching cabo best time whale watch cabo tours mexico. The other, less common species you can see during the cabo whale watching season is the gray whale. Whales of guerrero study and protect whales boost the. Gray whale migration season in full swing the san diego. By the start of the official puerto vallarta whale watching season, december 8th, the population of humpback whales in the bay of banderas in puerto vallarta all but guarantees multiple whale encounters on every tour. Gray whale migration season off to a slow start but that.
The diversity of large marine mammals roaming offshore mexico include sperm whales, blue whales, killer whales, and grey whales, but all these are quite elusive and hence are rarely spotted during whale watching tours. Every winter they swim along baja california, and its possible to see them from january to april near the south, in loreto bay. And for some unknown reason, when they arrive in mexicos magdalena bay, they are in a good mood. From middecember through march, scammons lagoon is the destination of the largest number of these magnificent mammals. Finally after 3 summer we went to holbox and snorkeled with this amazing whales. However, humpbacks are seasonal visitors in mexico as they come from the cold atlantic ocean to the warmth of the pacific. Every year, the california gray whales set off on the longest migration made by any mammal. Humpback whales are found in all oceans of the world and are a highly migratory species, the longest migration route measuring almost 7000 kilometers.
To have an excellent chance of seeing whales, visit baja between the end of december and early march. Baja california has protected lagoons calm waters, protected from killer whales, so it is a relatively safe place for the females to raise their calves. Cabo san lucas is a fabulous destination on mexicos pacific coast, famous for its impressive combination of mountains, desert, and ocean. The opportunity to experience the magnificence of the whale shark aggregation has only been around for years. To see the whales you really need to take an organized boat trip or a private boat charter operated by an experienced skipper who knows where the whales are and how to approach them in the vessel without scaring them off. Whale watching is one of the most popular activities in baja. Gray whale watching season begins in early december and moves along the pacific coast of the baja peninsula and ends in early april as the whale return north. The cyclical migration and habits of the whale sharks are still being studied around isla mujeres as it wasnt all that long ago the phenomenon was discovered. Time of the season also makes a difference in what we see on our tours. To see the whales you really need to take an organized boat trip or a. The season runs from december through march, although some areas see whales to the end of may.
Between december and april one of the most spectacular natural shows takes place. The impressive blue whale is the biggest whale in the world, reaching 30 meters in length and weighing 120 tons. Best time to go whale watching in mexico sea side reservations. When to schedule your whale watching trip off the sunny coast of mexico, you can see california gray whales reaching the end of their 6,000mile migration from the chilly waters of alaska.
These whales generally arrive later on, in early january. Gray whale migration season off to a slow start share this. The first months of the year gray whales and humpback whales come close to shore on their annual migration from the cold alaska waters to the warm. Why do these mammals embark on these seasonal movements.
Sergios sportfishing center callejon todos santos centro c. Jan 08, 2018 the gray whale migration covers 10,000 miles from feeding grounds in alaskas bering sea to matingnursing grounds in mexico. When it comes to understanding the migration patterns of whales and figuring out why different species migrate in different ways it is important to understand what the purpose for their migration is because not all whales migrate for the same reasons some whale will migrate in order to get to their local feeding or mating grounds as they tend to have specific locations. Gray whale migration gray whales make one of the longest migrations of any mammal on earth. During the whale watching season, generally from january 15th up to the beginning of march, excursions are arranged daily to magdalena bay, where whales can be observed up close. The alaskan arctic has large amounts of food amphipods for gray whales. Its an annual journey that sees them undertake the longest migration of any mammal.
Up to nine species of whales visit baja on a regular basis. Every spring, the rich waters of the loreto national marine park draw the worlds largest animal to come feed. Right now gray whales are travelling from their feeding grounds in the cold waters of alaska to the warmwater lagoons of baja, mexico for breeding season, before making their way back north again. Yes, whales can be found traveling throughout the waters of the gulf of mexico. Mexico is one of the worlds best destinations to swim with whale sharks, as hundreds of these huge fish remain in the waters of the yucatan peninsula. Mar 06, 2016 there spectacular whale watching is the norm.
Its whalewatching season on mexicos pacific coast, from. Humpback whales, however, arent afraid of people and are likely to leap out of the water right next to your boat. The largest of the fish species, the whale sharks of the caribbean are beginning to arrive from their annual migration to the waters just off the coast of the yucatan peninsula. The whaleplanner february a whale watching infographic. The whale watching spoken here program takes advantage of this coincidence with two weeks of assisted whale watching. Every year the environment and wildlife secretariat semarnat grants permits to vessels that are authorized to offer whale watching tours.
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