Wildlife aquatic

Franca Austral Whale

Every year, between winter and spring, in the water of the San Jose and Nuevo Gulfs, at Peninsula de Valdes, the principal group of whales gets together and concentrates searching safe places to mate and breed their young. Once the spring is over, in November, they leave this place to go deep into the ocean seeking krill, their principal food.
This 12 meter long mammal can weight between 30 and 40 tons, it has been searched for hunting for a long time up to the year 1935. It was then when the International Convention for the Whales gave them total protection, and since then their recovery was slow. In 1934, Argentina declared them Natural Monument.

Its head represents a quarter of its body and its big curved mouth stands out. They also have parts of their skin that are hardened and have different shapes and sizes, and are used by professionals to recognize one animal from the other.

Sea Wolf (“of one hair”)

This animal lives in colonies of many, and concentrates in rocky coasts and beaches during their breeding period. Its noisy, and has sedentary habits, specially when they are out of the sea. The sea dog “of one hair” has a wide neck and big mane around its neck.

Southern Sea Elephant

These animals also visit us for their breeding period, as well as the others, and give birth to approximately 9600 young. It is possible to find more than 20.000 animals. In December, they go back to this shores to shed their skin, and stay on earth approximately 40 days, fasting.

Orca

The orcas show us their jumps outside the water, with their entire body outside and the impact with the surface, making as a consequence, a big explosion of water. It is the bigger member of the dolphins, and has created a unique hunting method, they run aground on the beach to hunt their prey, and then get back to the sea with movements they do with their back and front side of the body.

Dark Dolphin

It is possible to watch this dark dolphin, with short but robust body, making acrobatics, because it is one of the most frequent animals of the zone, attracted by the big amount of anchovies in the area. They visit normally the gulfs of San Jose and Nuevo.

Pingüino de Magallanes

Nuestras costas reciben todos los años enormes grupos de pingüinos que abandonan la vida de mar para anidar y para criar a sus crías. Hay más de 40.000 nidos activos de Pingüinos de Magallanes. Por lo general eligen zonas que facilitan las frecuentes incursiones de pesca en el mar, como en las islas Pingüino y de los Pájaros, frente a Puerto Deseado. Desde Septiembre, y hasta el fin del verano, estos simpáticos “pájaros niños” aprovechan la protección natural de las costas y exhiben como atracción a los turistas sus espalditas negras y pecheras blancas; aves que no vuelan, pero nadan con la habilidad de un pez.