Bahía de Loreto National Park
🇲🇽 Mexico
🐋 Blue Whales in the Gulf of CaliforniaBahía de Loreto is a stretch of the Gulf of California with five desert islands in it, and the visit is a boat trip. Bottlenose dolphins are recorded on about seven trips in ten, and in late winter blue whales and humpbacks feed in the same channel.
25.860° N 111.055° W
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
★ 
Blue Whale
Balaenoptera musculus
★ 
Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
★ 
Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
★ 
California Sea Lion
Zalophus californianus
📊 Most Spotted
Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Yellow-footed Gull
Larus livens
House Finch
Haemorhous mexicanus
White-winged Dove
Zenaida asiatica
Gila Woodpecker
Melanerpes uropygialis
Double-crested Cormorant
Phalacrocorax auritus
Hooded Oriole
Icterus cucullatus
Verdin
Auriparus flaviceps
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
Great Egret
Ardea alba
⭐ Iconic Species
★ Blue Whale
Balaenoptera musculus
★ Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
★ Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
★ California Sea Lion
Zalophus californianus
📊 Most Spotted
Common Dolphin
Delphinus delphis
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor
Gray Fox
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
Bighorn Sheep
Ovis canadensis
Black-tailed Jackrabbit
Lepus californicus
Mule Deer
Odocoileus hemionus
White-tailed Antelope Squirrel
Ammospermophilus leucurus
Fin Whale
Balaenoptera physalus
Killer Whale
Orcinus orca
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
Eva's Desert Mouse
Peromyscus eva
Coyote
Canis latrans
📊 Most Spotted
Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Yellow-footed Gull
Larus livens
House Finch
Haemorhous mexicanus
White-winged Dove
Zenaida asiatica
Gila Woodpecker
Melanerpes uropygialis
Double-crested Cormorant
Phalacrocorax auritus
Hooded Oriole
Icterus cucullatus
Verdin
Auriparus flaviceps
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
Great Egret
Ardea alba
📊 Most Spotted
Common Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana
Small-scaled Lizard
Urosaurus nigricauda
Zebra-tailed Lizard
Callisaurus draconoides
Monserrat Chuckwalla
Sauromalus slevini
Common House Gecko
Hemidactylus frenatus
Baja California Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus zosteromus
Desert Iguana
Dipsosaurus dorsalis
Baja California Coachwhip
Masticophis fuliginosus
Race-runner
Aspidoscelis hyperythrus
Shortnose Rock Lizard
Petrosaurus repens
Red Diamond Rattlesnake
Crotalus ruber
Carmen Island Whiptail
Aspidoscelis carmenensis
📊 Most Spotted
Pacific Eagle Ray
Aetobatus laticeps
Spotted Round Stingray
Urobatis maculatus
Target ray
Diplobatis ommata
Scalloped Hammerhead
Sphyrna lewini
fox shark
Alopias pelagicus
Smooth Hammerhead
Sphyrna zygaena
Bullseye Round Stingray
Urobatis concentricus
Pacific sharpnose shark
Rhizoprionodon longurio
Haller's Round Ray
Urolophus halleri
Whale Shark
Rhincodon typus
Diamond Stingray
Hypanus dipterurus
Munk's Pygmy Devil Ray
Mobula munkiana
Recent sightings in Bahía de Loreto National Park
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1Blue Whales and Humpbacks in the Gulf
Blue whales and humpbacks feed in the channel between the islands, both at their highest of the year.
2Dolphins and Pelicans in Early
Bottlenose dolphins work the bay and brown pelicans dive alongside them.
3Island Lizards and Sea Lions in Autumn
Side-blotched lizards and chuckwallas are active on the island rock while sea lions haul out below.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Blue Whales and Humpbacks in the Gulf
- 2Dolphins and Pelicans in Early
- 3Island Lizards and Sea Lions in Autumn
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
It wasn’t long before we saw our first great whale—a gray whale in fact, more typically observed along the Pacific side of the peninsula this time of year.
The tour we did with Loreto Sea & Land Tours started with whale watching in Loreto Bay, where we saw fin and blue whales.
Down deeper, we found a sleeping horn shark and some green moray eels.
I’m a little leery, as I’ve heard stories of sea lions elsewhere being less than welcoming.
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Bahía de Loreto National Park?
The most likely sightings are Brown Pelican (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Turkey Vulture (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Yellow-footed Gull (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), House Finch (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), White-winged Dove (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers) — among 550 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Bahía de Loreto National Park for wildlife?
November has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.
Can you see Blue Whale in Bahía de Loreto National Park?
Yes — about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Blue Whale sighting in Bahía de Loreto National Park, based on 71 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Humpback Whale in Bahía de Loreto National Park?
Yes — about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Humpback Whale sighting in Bahía de Loreto National Park, based on 68 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Bottlenose Dolphin in Bahía de Loreto National Park?
Yes — about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Bottlenose Dolphin sighting in Bahía de Loreto National Park, based on 103 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see California Sea Lion in Bahía de Loreto National Park?
Yes — about 30% of wildlife watchers report a California Sea Lion sighting in Bahía de Loreto National Park, based on 47 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
Very goodHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
Very goodHow likely to see animals?
Experience
ExcellentHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
