El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve
🇲🇽 Mexico
🐋 Gray Whale LagoonsEl Vizcaíno is desert wrapped around two shallow lagoons where gray whales come to calve, and in winter the whales are the reason to be here — recorded on 95% of February trips.
27.400° N 113.505° W
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
★ 
Gray Whale
Eschrichtius robustus
★ 
California Sea Lion
Zalophus californianus
★ 
Coyote
Canis latrans
★ 
Red Diamond Rattlesnake
Crotalus ruber
📊 Most Spotted
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Western Gull
Larus occidentalis
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Double-crested Cormorant
Phalacrocorax auritus
Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis
Great Egret
Ardea alba
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
Willet
Tringa semipalmata
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
Reddish Egret
Egretta rufescens
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea
⭐ Iconic Species
★ Gray Whale
Eschrichtius robustus
★ California Sea Lion
Zalophus californianus
★ Coyote
Canis latrans
📊 Most Spotted
Black-tailed Jackrabbit
Lepus californicus
Pronghorn
Antilocapra americana
Mule Deer
Odocoileus hemionus
Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
White-tailed Antelope Squirrel
Ammospermophilus leucurus
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor
American Badger
Taxidea taxus
California Ground Squirrel
Otospermophilus beecheyi
Desert Cottontail
Sylvilagus audubonii
Ardila De Rocas De Baja California
Otospermophilus atricapillus
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
📊 Most Spotted
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Western Gull
Larus occidentalis
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Double-crested Cormorant
Phalacrocorax auritus
Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis
Great Egret
Ardea alba
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
Willet
Tringa semipalmata
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
Reddish Egret
Egretta rufescens
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Zebra-tailed Lizard
Callisaurus draconoides
Common Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana
Small-scaled Lizard
Urosaurus nigricauda
Western Whiptail
Aspidoscelis tigris
Shortnose Rock Lizard
Petrosaurus repens
Cedros Island Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma cerroense
Baja California Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus zosteromus
Cape Gopher Snake
Pituophis vertebralis
Baja California Coachwhip
Masticophis fuliginosus
Speckled Rattlesnake
Crotalus mitchellii
Western Patch-nosed Snake
Salvadora hexalepis
Desert Iguana
Dipsosaurus dorsalis
Recent sightings in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1Gray Whales in the Lagoons
Gray whales calve in the shallow lagoons and are recorded on almost every trip out.
3Coyotes and Jackrabbits at Dusk
Coyotes hunt the flats at dusk and black-tailed jackrabbits feed on the open ground.
2Desert Reptiles in the Warm Months
Zebra-tailed lizards and red diamond rattlesnakes are active across the open desert.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Gray Whales in the Lagoons
- 2Desert Reptiles in the Warm Months
- 3Coyotes and Jackrabbits at Dusk
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
Quick answers
What animals can you see in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve?
The most likely sightings are Turkey Vulture (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Western Gull (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Gray Whale (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Osprey (seen by about 60% of wildlife watchers), Double-crested Cormorant (seen by about 60% of wildlife watchers) — among 682 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve for wildlife?
February 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 Gray Whale in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve?
Yes — about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Gray Whale sighting in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve, based on 235 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see California Sea Lion in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve?
Yes — about 40% of wildlife watchers report a California Sea Lion sighting in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve, based on 40 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Coyote in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve?
Yes — about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Coyote sighting in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve, based on 75 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Red Diamond Rattlesnake in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve?
Yes — about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Red Diamond Rattlesnake sighting in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve, based on 31 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
ExcellentHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
GoodHow likely to see animals?
Experience
ExcellentHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
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