Bahía de Loreto National Park

🇲🇽 Mexico

🐋 Blue Whales in the Gulf of California

⏱ 2–3 days 🥾 Easy trails

🌍 #48 Global · 4.5 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #1 in North America #1 in Desert & Scrub

Baja California Sur, Mexico 550 spp. recorded

Bahía 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

30–40% · Possible

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

30–40% · Possible

Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

40–50% · Likely

California Sea Lion

Zalophus californianus

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Brown Pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

70–80% · Very likely

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

70–80% · Very likely

Yellow-footed Gull

Larus livens

70–80% · Very likely

House Finch

Haemorhous mexicanus

60–70% · Likely

White-winged Dove

Zenaida asiatica

60–70% · Likely

Gila Woodpecker

Melanerpes uropygialis

60–70% · Likely

Double-crested Cormorant

Phalacrocorax auritus

50–60% · Likely

Hooded Oriole

Icterus cucullatus

50–60% · Likely

Verdin

Auriparus flaviceps

50–60% · Likely

Northern Mockingbird

Mimus polyglottos

50–60% · Likely

Snowy Egret

Egretta thula

50–60% · Likely

Great Egret

Ardea alba

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Blue Whale

Balaenoptera musculus

30–40% · Possible

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

30–40% · Possible

Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

40–50% · Likely

California Sea Lion

Zalophus californianus

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Common Dolphin

Delphinus delphis

20–30% · Possible

Common Raccoon

Procyon lotor

20–30% · Possible

Gray Fox

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

20–30% · Possible

Bighorn Sheep

Ovis canadensis

20–30% · Possible

Black-tailed Jackrabbit

Lepus californicus

20–30% · Possible

Mule Deer

Odocoileus hemionus

10–20% · Possible

White-tailed Antelope Squirrel

Ammospermophilus leucurus

10–20% · Possible

Fin Whale

Balaenoptera physalus

10–20% · With luck

Bobcat

Lynx rufus

Insufficient data

Killer Whale

Orcinus orca

0–10% · With luck

Eva's Desert Mouse

Peromyscus eva

Insufficient data

Coyote

Canis latrans

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Brown Pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

70–80% · Very likely

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

70–80% · Very likely

Yellow-footed Gull

Larus livens

70–80% · Very likely

House Finch

Haemorhous mexicanus

60–70% · Likely

White-winged Dove

Zenaida asiatica

60–70% · Likely

Gila Woodpecker

Melanerpes uropygialis

60–70% · Likely

Double-crested Cormorant

Phalacrocorax auritus

50–60% · Likely

Hooded Oriole

Icterus cucullatus

50–60% · Likely

Verdin

Auriparus flaviceps

50–60% · Likely

Northern Mockingbird

Mimus polyglottos

50–60% · Likely

Snowy Egret

Egretta thula

50–60% · Likely

Great Egret

Ardea alba

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Common Side-blotched Lizard

Uta stansburiana

40–50% · Likely

Small-scaled Lizard

Urosaurus nigricauda

30–40% · Possible

Zebra-tailed Lizard

Callisaurus draconoides

30–40% · Possible

Monserrat Chuckwalla

Sauromalus slevini

20–30% · Possible

Common House Gecko

Hemidactylus frenatus

20–30% · Possible

Baja California Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus zosteromus

20–30% · Possible

Desert Iguana

Dipsosaurus dorsalis

20–30% · Possible

Baja California Coachwhip

Masticophis fuliginosus

10–20% · Possible

Race-runner

Aspidoscelis hyperythrus

10–20% · Possible

Petrosaurus repens

10–20% · Possible

Western Whiptail

Aspidoscelis tigris

10–20% · Possible

Red Diamond Rattlesnake

Crotalus ruber

10–20% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Pacific chorus frog

Pseudacris regilla

20–30% · Possible

Red-spotted Toad

Anaxyrus punctatus

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Pacific Eagle Ray

Aetobatus laticeps

40–50% · Possible

Cortez stingray

Urobatis maculatus

30–40% · Possible

Target ray

Diplobatis ommata

Insufficient data

Scalloped Hammerhead

Sphyrna lewini

Insufficient data

fox shark

Alopias pelagicus

Insufficient data

hammerhead

Sphyrna zygaena

Insufficient data

reef stingray

Urobatis concentricus

Insufficient data

Pacific sharpnose shark

Rhizoprionodon longurio

Insufficient data

round stingray

Urolophus halleri

Insufficient data

Whale Shark

Rhincodon typus

Insufficient data

Diamond Stingray

Hypanus dipterurus

Insufficient data

Munk's Pygmy Devil Ray

Mobula munkiana

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🐋

Blue Whales and Humpbacks in the Gulf

FebMar

Blue whales and humpbacks feed in the channel between the islands, both at their highest of the year.

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

30–40% · Possible

Blue Whale

Balaenoptera musculus

30–40% · Possible

🐬

Dolphins and Pelicans in Early

MayJun

Bottlenose dolphins work the bay and brown pelicans dive alongside them.

Brown Pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

70–80% · Very likely

Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

40–50% · Likely

🦎

Island Lizards and Sea Lions in Autumn

SepOct

Side-blotched lizards and chuckwallas are active on the island rock while sea lions haul out below.

California Sea Lion

Zalophus californianus

30–40% · Possible

Common Side-blotched Lizard

Uta stansburiana

40–50% · Likely

Monserrat Chuckwalla

Sauromalus slevini

20–30% · Possible

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

30–40

60–70

40–50

<5

0–10

0–10

0–10

0–10

0–10

0–10

0–10

10–20

20–30

40–50

40–50

10–20

20–30

20–30

0–10

0–10

0–10

0–10

0–10

0–10

Bottlenose Dolphin

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

60–70

30–40

20–30

10–20

10–20

40–50

30–40

30–40

California Sea Lion

30–40

30–40

30–40

10–20

40–50

20–30

20–30

0–10

30–40

30–40

0–10

20–30

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

70–80

60–70

60–70

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

80–90

70–80

70–80

Yellow-footed Gull

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

60–70

70–80

70–80

80–90

50–60

60–70

70–80

80–90

70–80

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

White-winged Dove

50–60

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

50–60

70–80

60–70

50–60

Gila Woodpecker

40–50

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

70–80

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

Double-crested Cormorant

50–60

70–80

50–60

30–40

50–60

60–70

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

70–80

50–60

40–50

50–60

70–80

70–80

80–90

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

30–40

40–50

40–50

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

40–50

50–60

40–50

70–80

60–70

70–80

Northern Mockingbird

50–60

40–50

60–70

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

50–60

70–80

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

70–80

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

50–60

70–80

50–60

Animal Events

🐋 Blue Whales and Humpbacks in the Gulf

🐬 Dolphins and Pelicans in Early

🦎 Island Lizards and Sea Lions in Autumn

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ World-class

🐋 Blue Whales in the Gulf of California

🦜

Biodiversity

Excellent

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

5.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

348

🐒 Mammals

101

🦎 Reptiles

76

🐸 Amphibians

7

🦈 Sharks & Rays

18

550 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

28 Threatened 98 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

4.1 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

64%

📊

Coverage (173 species at ≥5% of 550 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

31%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (12 bird)

47% Global avg

0%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

132 Global avg

93

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

14 Global avg

8

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

20

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