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Whale Watching
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By: OCVB & Tourism Board Puerto Vallarta /
Translation by: Eduardo Rincón Gallardo - January 2008. |
Humpback whales start to arrive in Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. Beautiful Bay of Banderas has become a sanctuary for a great variety of species and marine wildlife, no doubt the humpback whale is the most significant.
Every year from December to April Puerto Vallarta has the privilege of counting on the splendor and grace of the humpback whales that swim enormous distances in search of the quiet and warmth of the Pacific waters for the birth of their offspring. This time the arrival of the first mammal was registered two weeks ago already
The humpback whale also known as novaengliae megaptera, is the fifth largest species of all whales. Their offspring weigh an average of 1.5 tons at birth and they measure from12 to 15 feet. Males can reach a length of 45 feet while larger females can reach a length of over 50 feet. An adult female humpback whale can weigh 45 tons and a live for 40 years as an average.
North Pacific humpback whales spend the summer in warm waters, from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska to the Farallón Islands in the Sea of Cortez. During the cold months, from November to May, most of their population is found in the warm waters of Hawaii and Mexico where they mate and give birth.
Their migration of about 3,500 miles travels at an average speed of 4.5 miles per hour. Research on humpback whales indicates they can use acoustic signals, currents, temperature changes and even magnetic fields to find their way to zones of nourishment and delivery.
Baby humpback whales are conceived and delivered in or near the Bay of Banderas over a gestation period of 11 months, though it is quite common to see babies during the winter, there is no documented evidence of births within the bay area.
After a baby whale is born, the mother will remain close to the shore, resting and nursing the baby. Frequently mothers and babies are accompanied by a third whale known as escort, supposedly a male.
The species feeds on schools of tiny fish such as herring, this they do during the summer months when said schools are more productive, generating mainly krill, in the Antarctic. They can consume close to a ton of food a day. During the summer cycle of feeding whales accumulate enough nutrients to survive the rest of the year.
Females as well as males produce a wide range of sounds, these include the highest and lowest frequencies humans can hear. It is not yet known how humpback whales generate these sounds as they have no vocal cords. There is some evidence to these sounds as being produced by various valves and muscles in a series of cavities found all along their respiratory apparatus.
 Males produce long and complex sound patterns that are repeated over long periods. These songs may be related to sexual courtship or to maintaining social order. However during the summer these songs are seldom heard. Vocalizing has been registered in association with feeding groups. When humpbacks come back the next winter, they sing the song that was sung during the last season in the zones of delivery. An analysis of registered songs during the same season in Mexico, Hawaii and Japan indicates that the whales of the same community sing the same song.
Humpback whales can easily be seen from land, sea or air due to their tendency to gather near the coastline. Chances of watching whales diminish as the sea conditions worsen, wind speed, sun reflection and other conditions may limit whale watching possibilities. Therefore whale watching depends more on the sea conditions than on the time of day.
Whale watching tours in the bay officially begin on December 8th. These tours offer the possibility of observing these impressing creatures in their natural habitat. Professional guides and biologists specialized in the behavior and protection of these marine mammals offer a chance to better understand of the world of whales.
There is no doubt Puerto Vallarta is the ideal place to enjoy this yearly natural attraction.
OCVB & Tourism Board Puerto Vallarta
E-mail: nora@visitpuertovallarta.com
Website: http://www.visitpuertovallarta.com
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