Our whale watching trips at San Ignacio Lagoon take place within the Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino that comprises two coastal lagoons, Laguna Ojo de Liebre and Laguna San Ignacio, along with their surroundings. The region includes a spectacular mosaic of wetlands, mangroves, dunes and desert habitats. The area is huge – over 800,000 acres and is part of the even larger El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve which is the biggest Biosphere Reserve in all of Latin America.
The two whale calving lagoons are the World's most important place for the reproduction of the once-endangered North Pacific Gray Whale. The protection of these winter breeding grounds has been a key factor in the remarkable recovery of this species after near-extinction that was the result of commercial whaling, which took part along the Pacific Coast and even inside these very lagoons. The whales that come here each winter migrate between these lagoons and the summer feeding grounds in the Chukchi, Beaufort and Bering Seas.
In addition to the gray whales, the lagoons are habitat for numerous other marine mammals, such as the California sea lion, bottlenose dolphin and harbor seal. There are four marine turtle species that live in the shallow waters which are also an important habitat and nursery-area for a large number of fish, crustaceans, and others marine life. As well there are numerous breeding and migratory bird species. Not far from the glistening blue waters are desert sands and this biogeographically part of the Sonoran Desert, boasting highly diverse flora and fauna is also protected.
It is fabulous that the first conservation effort that came into force was in 1937 with the Convention for the Protection of Migratory Birds and Game Mammals - a bilateral agreement between Mexico and the United States of America. Another important protection came with Mexico's adherence to the International Whaling Commission in 1949, which has been protecting Gray Whales from commercial whaling since its establishment.
A marine refuge zone was established, by Federal Decree in 1971, for whales in Laguna Ojo de Liebre, followed by another decree one year later establishing several refuges around the lagoons. In 1988, the federal government declared El Vizcaino a biosphere reserve, which was then internationally recognized under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program in 1993.
We invite you to join us in this remarkable corner of the world for a life-enriching adventure to view whales, and the possibility to extend your vacation to hike and see the cave paintings of the Sierra de San Francisco.