Patagonia has the privilege of having along the Atlantic coast the most incredible gathering of wildlife. The great marine mammals, like the Southern Right Whale, the Orcas, Dolphins, Sea lions and Elephant Seals are the highlights together with the curious Magellanic penguins - sea birds that nest the continental rookeries.
The Southern Right Whale arrives every year to the Nuevo and San José gulfs -in the Valdes Peninsula- to breed. Between April and December these mighty marine mammals look for the calm waters of the gulfs to perpetuate their species, mating, breeding and giving birth to their calves. The gentle movements of these gigantic cetaceans -12 to 15 meters long and 30 tons weight- can be easily observed from the coast or riding whale watching boats. Few places on earth offer the possibility to see and intimate with these tame and incredible creatures. Best time of the year to observe them is from August to the end of November.
The Magellanic penguins are marine birds that come ashore to mate, lay their eggs and raise their chicks. There are 17 different species of penguins in the world. All of them inhabit the southern hemisphere. The Magellanic penguin is the only one that nests in the argentine continental territory. At Punta Tombo, Chubut province, situated in Patagonia, the biggest colony of the specie is situated. These funny creatures wearing a tuxedo arrive to the colony at the end of August. The reproductive males refurbish their nest, and get ready to mate. When the females courtship begins, and after mating both of them - male and female- take turns to incubate the eggs during 40 days. Helpless chicks depend entirely on their parents to be feed and protect them from the attacks of their predators (mainly skuas and seagulls). More than 600.000 penguins inhabit Punta Tombo. Thousands of tourist walk the trails observing their life and behaviour. The season to observe them runs from September to April. At the end of April all penguins leave the colony and start their pelagic cicle living at the sea.
The Orca is the "top predator" of the sea. They occupy the summit of the sea food chain. Their 9 meters lenght and about 9.000 kilos, their powerful jaws with the conical teeths gives them the supremacy. Nevertheless these amazing creatures wearing the distinctive dorsal fin - in males it can reach 1.80 meters high- and their caractheristic black and white colours, are not killers. They hunt only to feed themselves and their group. And it isn't an easy task, for sure. Around Península Valdés, small pods of orcas patrol the sea lion colonies and the shores loaded with elephant seals. Their particular way to hunt, beaching themselves on the peable shores to catch their prey, is an incredible display of power and wild beauty. All year round - if you are lucky enough- is is possible to see the pods or single orcas roaming around; but spciallly at the end of February and March they can frecuently be seen in places like Punta Norte, in Península Valdés.
are marine mammals that come to the shores of Peninsula Valdes to breed and have to feed at the sea. Both of them nurse their calves with a creamy milk with very high fat content, but belong to different families of thise order. Sea Lions are Otaridos -which mean that they have tiny ears with a "V" shape- and use their 4 flippers to walk. The Southern Elephant Seals dont have external ears and use only their front flippers to move their body with worm style reptant movements. They belong to the Focidos family. Another main difference is their huge body. Sea lions are smaller and lighter -males weight 300 kilos and females around 100 kilos- on the other side, the male Elephant Seals can reach 2.500 kilos and a size of 5 meters long; and females can weight 500 kilos and 3 meters long. But without any doubt the thick neck cover with hairy fur of the Sea Lions and the proboscis or trunk in the Elephant Seal are the most distinctive differences that identify both species. Both marine mammals share their territories in Península Valdés all year round without problems. Their reproductive seasons are different: between August and end of November is the main season for the Elephant Seals, and from December to April for the Sea Lions.