Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino, Mexico

The Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino (inscribed in 1993 on the World Heritage List) is a serial property on the Pacific Coast in the northernmost area of ​​Baja California Sur (Guerrero Negro).

The coastal lagoons of Ojo de Liebre and San Ignacio are important reproduction and wintering sites for the grey whale, harbour seal, California sea lion, northern elephant-seal and blue whale. The lagoons are also home to four species of the endangered marine turtle.

The gray whale has depigmented areas resulting from the balanus. Balanus are tiny animals that stick to their skin.

Scientific research and facilities

Due to the importance of this gray whale sanctuary, every year scientific researchers cense the population and keep a strict control of the number of births.

At the beginning of the 20th century there were little more than 100 gray whale specimens; indiscriminate hunting diminished the population year after year.

However, thanks to the protectionist measures of countries like Mexico, the species was removed from the list of endangered species.

Whale watching

Each year, from February through March, Laguna Ojo de Liebre is one of the favorite meeting points for thousands of tourists from all over the world, who visit to enjoy a friendly encounter with the gray whale.

Most of the physical contacts with whales happen because they approach freely as part of their friendly behavior.

When approaching the boat, the whale and its young calf normally offer great friendly gestures: nice somersaults, visual contact and they show the abdomen, fin and tail.

The Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino contains the most important breeding grounds of the Eastern subpopulation of the North Pacific Grey Whale. Its protection is intricately linked with saving the species from extinction and recovery after near-collapse due to excessive commercial whaling. Many environmental factors, such as depth, temperature, nutrients and salinity coincide in Ojo de Liebre and San Ignacio lagoons to make them ideal mating, breeding and calving grounds.

El Vizcaino’s status as a Marine Protected Area (established in 1972), then as a World Heritage site, helped spur laws to monitor boat traffic and fishing in the lagoons.

The Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino has the potential to serve as an example of integrated management of natural resources.