Whales and dolphins may draw admirers to Baja, as the Sea of Cortez (also called the Gulf of California) hosts a third of the world’s whale species, but this rich ecosystem also offers close encounters with a variety of other fascinating creatures. Here are just a few of the animals you might encounter on a kayak tour in the Loreto Bay National Marine Park/UNESCO World Heritage Site:

Sea Turtles

Although five of the world’s seven species of sea turtles are found in Baja, the only ones to nest here widely are olive ridleys.  They nest from July to November along the southern tip of the Baja peninsula, from Todos Santos on the Pacific to Cabo Pulmo on the Gulf.  A few individual leatherbacks and hawksbill sea turtles are also known to nest around the southern tip of the peninsula  They spend most of their lives at sea.

Egg loss – due to poachers, predators, disturbance of nests or loss of habitat – ties with accidental entanglement in fishing gear for the number-one pressure on sea turtle populations.  Turtles suffer from human fishing methods, pollution, and loss of feeding or nesting habitat. Historically, sea turtles were considered a delicacy for much of Mexico, and graced many tables for Easter dinner.  While many efforts are taken locally to educate communities and preserve these special reptiles, habitat degradation and poachers remain a threat.

California Sea Lions

Kayakers encounter these playful creatures mostly on island outcrops and other rocky areas, where they can sun themselves on the warm stones and cool off in fish-filled waters.  In the Sea of Cortez, we often see them swimming in the sea and congregating around Coronado Island, typically in rocky areas inaccessible to most visitors. Those who partake in our Isla Carmen Circumnavigation may experience great viewings around of these frisky mammals around the remote areas of the island. We also find them in the Magdalena Bay area when whale watching.

Sea lions are distinct from seals because of their visible, exterior ears.  They can grow up to seven feet long and weigh up to a thousand pounds, with the males (bulls) significantly larger than the females (cows) who tend to weigh 200-220 pounds.  While sea lions may appear almost black in the water, when dry they are varying shades brown. These Pinnipeds are deep divers and can stay underwater for minutes at a time and live up to 20 years old.

Mobula Rays

Gliding down the glassy-calm waters of the Sea of Cortez, you might hear splashes in the distance as silvery, smooth, kite-shaped bodies leap out of the water and slap down again. Dolphins? Sea birds?  Neither!  Meet the acrobatic mobula ray: a smaller, active cousin of the peaceful manta ray. Both types of ray lack the notorious barb of their cousin, the sting ray, but mobulas differ from mantas primarily in their size and mouth placement, which is located on the bottom of their head.  The mobula rays, sometimes called “munk” or “devil” rays, range from two to ten feet in width and are famous for their spectacular leaps above the water.  The rays often travel in schools, racing along together and jumping up to seven feet high in the air and then flipping or belly-flopping back into the ocean. Four species inhabit the Sea of Cortez, though most have similar coloring of dark grey/black bodies with white or silver underbellies.