Migrates 8,000 km from the Arctic to breed and nurse in the Baja California Sur lagoons between December and April.
Description and Natural History
The gray whale is a baleen whale characterized by a robust slate-gray body mottled with barnacle patches and whale lice.
Adults measure between 12 and 15 meters in length and can weigh up to 36 metric tons. Females are typically slightly larger than males.
Habitat and Peninsula Lagoons
Every winter, the Eastern Pacific population journeys to the protected coastal lagoons of Baja California Sur, including San Ignacio, Ojo de Liebre, and Magdalena Bay.
In these shallow, warm sanctuaries, mothers give birth and nurse their calves in a tranquil nursery before beginning their epic northern migration.
Fuentes de consulta
- • Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas (CONANP)
- • Reserva de la Biosfera El Vizcaíno (Patrimonio UNESCO)
- • NOAA Fisheries — Marine Mammal Laboratory
Contenido elaborado y verificado para la Enciclopedia de Baja California Sur. Si detectas un dato impreciso, ayúdanos a mejorarlo con el botón de más información.