Gray Whales of San Ignacio
LagoonGuide Report
March 9, 2014
By: Hayley Carmody
Everytrip out at Campo Cortez is different and exciting in its own way. The baby
whales are becoming more curious and even though there are not as many whales
in the lagoon since the singles are leaving, they are more interested in
people. Through the season we see a change in the behavior of whales. When the
whales first arrive they are not interested in people, but allow us to watch as
they do all sorts of mating displays. Then there is a shift and the whales
begin to come up to the boats to pet people. It always amazes me how a whale
for no apparent reason will come up to a boat full of screaming people.
This
week for the first time we cut one whale watching trip to go to the mangroves that surround the lagoon.
Mangrove forests are amazing; they provide an area for migrating birds, as well
as protecting the fish. The mangroves in San Ignacio lagoon are the red and
white. These plants are similar to marine mammals because they were land beings
that have begun to go back into the water. Taking people through the mangroves
they could see the importance of these plants. Not only are they amazing plants
that are able to grow in such an extreme environment, but they are extremely
important as they are the nurseries for a lot of sea life. People began to
appreciate mangroves and realize the importance for conservation of these
plants.